Dark Moon Ascendant
by Bern
Summary: *Epilogue* [TV+OVA, non-yaoi] A continuation inspired by the 1st TV OP credits. The hunter's identity now unmasked but Fate conspires against the teams. What will happen when the forces of evil begin their plans in earnest? Plus some FAQs about this fic.
1. Prologue

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Disclaimers: I wish I could own Weiss, Schwarz, and all the incredibly sexy bishounen and biseinen I've ever come across and will eventually come across. But I'll probably win a billion dollars first from Bill Gates before that dream comes true.

This is NOT a yaoi fic. [hides under table from lynch mob of yaoi fans] I may read some and have developed a tolerance for it but I can never go beyond 2nd base with writing one. I get too embarrassed at writing out the 'interesting' parts. [looks at the RK one with a red face - how to type it out? ~__~;;] 

I hope you'll take this story on its own merits instead. I'm not flame-retardant by the way, but constructive C&Cs will be gratefully accepted. Thanks.

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Dark Moon Ascendant

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Prologue 

3 years previously… [1997]

The mirror shimmered briefly as its silvery glow died. A sigh followed as the old woman straightened up before turning to face her companion. A pregnant pause hung in the air as neither party said a word, the earlier vision from the mirror having spoken volumes with the series of images that flew across its surface. The tall, lean man slowly pushed the bridge of his spectacles up his nose as his thoughts tried to form themselves into some semblance of order. As much as it pained him to admit that fate was being less than kind, another part of him hoped that not all had been lost. Looking the old woman in the eye, he addressed the main thought on his mind.

"So where does this leave us, Momoe-san?"

Absently rubbing her chin, the old woman thought about the question. Despite the setback, she too shared his hopeful optimism about the situation. The prophecy was beginning to be fulfilled, and sometimes a tragedy could bring about the greater good. A faint smile crossed the lined face as she turned to look at the now dull mirror. 

"I think that we will just have to be patient, Seki. I don't believe that this has brought the prophecy to an end. In fact, I think that it may just have brought it to pass."

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2 years later… [1999]

The darkness began to recede like the tide on a beach as Aya began to struggle awake. She could feel the warmth of the person cradling her and she used that as an anchor to focus her energy in waking up. Eyes blinking slowly open, she was vaguely surprised at the bright red outfit of the lady holding her. A movement above caught her attention and she saw herself looking down at herself and for a moment wondered if she was still unconscious and dreaming. As she became more alert, she saw the subtle differences in the face before her and realised that it was someone else. Getting her mouth to move and her voice to come out took more effort even though at the same time she could feel her strength flowing through her body. A faint thought at the back of her mind questioned it but briefly. Something more important had to be taken care of. Focusing once more, she addressed the two strangers with her burning question.

"Where am I?"

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The following year… [2000]

Catching the red blossom in his gloved hand, Shuldig gave it a cruel smile. It didn't take long to find their arch-nemesis Weiss; they were just so bold in their daily activities. Selling flowers out of that monstrous pink trailer of theirs certainly made for a convincing hideout. Only the most blatantly bold or the most covert cover could accomplish it. The hordes of hyper schoolgirls hovering and screeching like vultures around the four handsome men also helped. For the telepath, the situation bordered on the hilarious. In his opinion, a real assassin would never stoop that low before putting a bullet through his head first, or at least getting someone to do it for him. But then, he never did consider Weiss as assassins of his class. They were too 'ordinary'. Barely acknowledging the honk of the dark car that approached him by the curb, he continued to stare at the flower his smirk firmly placed.

"They're here?" The question was more rhetorical, the speaker assured in the answer he believed.

"Yeah, just like you predicted." Shuldig began to tighten his grip around the flower. "They can't run from us anymore."

"There is nowhere they can run to," Crawford amended, his hazel eyes gleaming. "The time for their punishment is near."

"Hn," Shuldig smirked as his grip crushed the fragile blossom before relaxing it to watch the wind pick up the sacrificed petals and scatter them throughout the city. As far as Schwarz was concerned, it was payback time - with interest.

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Author's Note: 

I know it's a rehash of sorts but I promise to post Chapter 1 up very quickly. Also, it's going to be Aya-centric. Aya as in the girl Aya or Aya-chan. I'll be sticking to the real names where needed as the story takes place after the TV series and OVA. Ran is so much more appropriate for the amethyst-eyed redhead here. Besides, most stories seem to prefer the 'Aya' name, but I want to be different. ^____^

Blatantly borrowed from the end scene of the Weiss OVA translated by Jey Kama. The scene has been slightly amended [creative license] to fit in. I personally don't like copying wholesale, unless it is too technical to re-write/amend. 

I apologise if there are some grammatical errors. It's hard proofing your own stuff as everything seems either fine or totally screwed up. I'm still getting into the swing of the story writing as well. Please don't kill me for that. I think I'll be committing greater crimes in future with this story. Email me the noose then, thanks. I'm not into self-immolation.


	2. A Hunter Found

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Disclaimers: As much as I wish it were otherwise, I do not own anyone here except for the weird monster, a dead guy and Seki. Please read on and let me know if you enjoy the story. Feed my ego, please! 

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Chapter 1: A Hunter Found

Koneko no Sumu Ie, Tokyo

Late Spring, 2000

Aya turned to look up as she heard Sakura's cheerful voice call out her greeting. Smiling at her closest friend, Aya moved aside to let her enter and greet Momoe-san who was sitting by the cash register stroking her beloved cat. Reaching for her apron, Sakura quickly tied it on before heading outside to help arrange the pots outside and to water the budding stems. Glancing up from her sweeping Aya thought she saw someone disappear behind the building on the opposite side of the road. In that split-second, it seemed like a memory from her past had come to life. A much loved face with short red hair and laughing violet eyes burned bright in her mind before she forcefully shoved it back into a dark corner of her mind. It was too painful to be remembering her dearest Nii-san. 

As if sensing the subtle change in her mood, Momoe-san approached Aya and gently tapped her on the hand gripping the broom's handle. Smiling up into the girl's blinking eyes, she called out to Sakura to ask if she wanted some tea. Popping her head round the door, Sakura agreed to the suggestion. Then, gently guiding the dark-haired girl by the hand, she led Aya to the kitchen. 

"You seemed a little upset about something, my dear. Care to tell me what has brought such sadness to your eyes?" Momoe-san asked her gently. 

It was obvious what it was about as the girl had lost two years of her life after the accident and still grieved for her family. It had been almost a year since her awakening and Aya still felt the pain as acutely as when Sakura had first explained it to her. Her big brother had died trying to save her from some weird cult and entrusted her welfare to his boss Hanae-san, the same lady who had been with Sakura when she awoke. The problem Aya kept experiencing though was the strange feeling of something missing, like the pieces of a completed jigsaw puzzle not quite fitting together. She had questioned the circumstances surrounding her parents and brother's deaths but Hanae-san had been evasive with the answers instead giving her the usual 'classified information' replies. And Aya was tired of hearing it. Sakura barely knew more, instead she gave her a very different insight into the person who had adopted her name in his quest for justice. So many questions but nobody to give her the answers.

But this wasn't her only problem. Aya had noticed herself changing in subtle ways. She had initially assumed that it was due to her body adjusting since her coma, but now the changes were becoming a little too obvious. Neither Sakura nor Momoe-san noticed anything, but that was because the changes weren't so much external as internal. It seemed as though her body was making up for lost time with the healing process. Aya recalled a time when she had accidentally cut herself while preparing dinner and it had been quite deep. She had thought of seeing the doctor the next day but had been taken aback at what she saw. Or rather what she did not see. Her injury had healed to the point where it resembled a paper cut. The pain had also lessened to a dull ache when she had gingerly prodded it. It had freaked her out. What was going on? She knew that she healed rather quickly when as a child, her bruises and scrapes would fade after a couple of days unlike her brother who took about a week to recover. Her parents had thought it was an exceptional ability but never questioned it. Ran had often teased her about not having to play her nursemaid as long as she had to for him. But it seemed her 'gift' had increased in its power. 

Aside from this, Aya had become increasingly aware of her reflexes improving in speed and reaction. She had managed to catch a falling cup of tea before it hit the floor but what had amazed her was that didn't spill it. She even managed to catch those irritating houseflies without tiring herself out like before. It had been great as she disliked having flies in the kitchen. But what had really grabbed her attention was her strength. It too seemed to increase rapidly even though she hardly handled the heavy pots alone. Aya never exercised as Sakura did because her work in the flower shop was enough to keep her satisfactorily fit. Even with the occasional urgent deliveries, she doubted that it would result in this kind of abnormal strength. She had in fact, tested her suspicions a few days ago when Momoe-san had gone off to the vet with Tabby-chan. In the back storeroom, she had attempted to lift a 25-kg bag of potting soil. The heavy sack barely strained her and she had been able to handle it comfortably. With her heart thumping from nervousness and excitement, she had added another similar bag to the first. Having braced herself, she hefted the two sacks together. The now doubled weight sat in her arms and except for their bulky nature, still allowed her to comfortably carry them about the room. Aya grew excited and began to see how much she was able to handle. Finally at about 80 kilos, she began to tire. But that was then, and if she suspected right she should be able to easily add another 10 or 15 kilograms to the weight. However, some deep-seated intuition within her seemed to be telling her of something important, but of what she did not know. Perhaps, she didn't want to know. After all, who would believe her? And if they did, what would they do to her? Being made to return to the hospital for further tests was not something she wanted to go through again since her awakening. No, it was best left unsaid.

"…ya-chan!"

"Aya-chan!"

Aya jerked up as she returned her attention to Momoe-san and Sakura's worried calls. She had withdrawn from the activities surrounding her and now both Momoe-san and Sakura who had just come in, was asking her if she was alright. Giving herself a mental shake, she smiled at them and assured them that she was fine. Unsure as to whether or not to believe her, Sakura took her hand and gently squeezed it her concern reflected deep within her worried eyes. Aya squeezed back and they both smiled at each other, the tension now broken. 

Momoe-san observed this quietly, her sharp eyes hardly missing a thing. Aya was beginning to dwell on sad memories and this was not good. In truth, Momoe-san knew a whole lot about what had happened on those two crucial nights. She had seen them through the mirror and knew that Ran had survived the incident. All her dear boys had. Despite her pledge not to involve herself too much in the boys lives, she had tried her best to make sure that they had enough hope to continue to want to live. They had their role to play in the prophecy, as did another four individuals who named themselves after the colour of night. Inwardly, Momoe-san sighed as she thought of the trouble brewing. Unless things started to come together on her side, they would have no chance of surviving the approaching destruction.

Carrying the tray to the table, she sat down with the girls as Sakura poured out the tea. Aya remembered the tin of chocolate biscuits and got up to get them. Once more settled, the little family began discussing the day's events. Sakura had earlier flipped the sign to indicate the shop being closed for business as she too guessed at Aya's change in mood. And so the afternoon passed for them in companionable chit-chat and other silly talk, their laughter brightening the place more than the late afternoon sun spilling in through the kitchen window.

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A week later…

Aya hurried home through the dark streets, her small umbrella hardly protecting her from the sudden downpour. She inwardly cursed at the change in the weather, her thin coat poor insulation against the rapidly plunging temperature. I can't believe this. _It was so warm and clear when I left Sakura-chan's_, she grumbled silently. Ducking under an overhanging shade, she shook out the excess water that was beginning to soak through the umbrella's protective lining. The limp, soggy-looking cloth caused her to sigh ruefully as she remembered how much she had paid for it. Against practicality, she had chosen the light sun umbrella because of its lovely sky blue and pale lavender shades. Needless to say, the thing wouldn't last the journey home. Pulling her coat more snugly around her shoulders she prepared to continue when something caught her attention. Turning to look, Aya noticed what looked like two people scuffling. The heavy rain and poor lighting from the distant streetlight made it seem unreal, like a poorly made black and white film. Against her better judgement she approached the pair. Closer to them she made out one of them weakening, his form slumping against that of the stronger one. As she neared, she saw him yank the other man's hair exposing his neck. The weakened man was barely struggling, his breathing harsh in the lessening downpour. Then before Aya's horrified eyes, the assailant gouged the man's throat causing the blood to spray out. Seeming to revel in the bloody spray, the man tightened his grip and brought his mouth to drink in the lifeblood. Clapping her hands to her mouth, Aya found herself rooted to the spot unable to turn around and flee. She continued to watch in horrified fascination as the ritual unfolded and only when the body was dropped on the dirty street did she look up into the face of the murderer. It didn't look human.

The man-like creature's eyes glowed with a red light and the bloody mouth seemed to leer at her. Aya wanted to scream but no sound came out from her tightly constricted throat. Taking a step back, she turned to flee when she felt a strong grip on her shoulder. Gasping in fear she instinctively swung her arm back knocking it away. But before she could move away, she was tackled to the wet ground. The creature flipped her around and she found herself staring into those demonic eyes. As she watched in sick fascination, it appeared to smile at its easy conquest of her. It was that twisted parody of a smile that shocked her system into action. There was no way she was going to let this weird creature feed of her like it did the other man. She felt her anger rising and with it the rush of adrenaline. With all her strength she brought her arms up to shove it off of her. The force sent the creature sailing into a nearby pile of garbage. Scrambling to her feet, Aya didn't think about it as her main intention was to get out of that place. She ran down the alley blindly not caring about where she was heading, the need to escape powering her onwards. Vaguely she could hear it coming after her and she ran round another corner. Only to come up to a dead end.

Turning around she could see the thing silhouetted against the exit. Glancing about her, Aya tried to find something to fight with. Except for the grimy puddles and several bits of soggy paper there was nothing. Aya began to feel the fear well up once more. She doubted that she would be able to push it away again seeing as how it seemed to watch her, almost reading her moves and predicting her intentions. The creature walked slowly towards her, its movements deliberate and calculating. It continued to block the exit, preventing her escape. _Oh please_, her mind cried out, _please someone help me! _Without warning, the thing suddenly lunged at her. Aya screamed as she struggled with it in a desperate battle. As the thing bore her to the ground pinning her with its weight, Aya thought she saw someone appear out of the corner of her eye. In the next moment, she heard the monster scream in agony as something plunged deep into its back. Using that to her advantage, Aya viciously kicked it aside and scrambled out of the way. She saw another man dressed in a white suit yank the blade out of the creature's back before nimbly stepping back. It then turned to face him and Aya cried out as it turned to attack him.

The man did not seem perturbed at the creature's charge but in fact used it to his advantage. The blade arced upward and caught the monster in the chest. Shrieking in agony, it scrabbled to get the blade out but the man slammed it in deeper. In the next moment, there was a strange muted explosion and the creature disappeared. A faint cloud hung vaguely about the blade gripped in the man's fist before the breeze blew it away. Staring on in fascination at what she had just witnessed, Aya barely noticed that the rain had stopped and a light breeze now moved through the streets. Looking up at the man who killed the monster Aya was relieved to see that he was human, even if a little strangely dressed. He sheathed the blade within its scabbard before replacing it to hang from his left side. Lightly dusting his hands he then reached to push his spectacles up the bridge of his aquiline nose. He turned to face her and Aya took in the rest of him.

He was tall, broad-shouldered yet trim with neat sky-blue hair that seemed to absorb the dim light around it. His outfit was a little unusual and Aya noticed that it was not the business suit she had first assumed. It looked like a modified military uniform. Functionality with style she noted. It gave him a serious if oddly scholarly look. It was white with pale blue trimmings and it enhanced his appearance even more. But where the clothes caught her interest, it was his eyes that held her attention. A piercing green, they seemed to emanate from behind the lenses. She didn't know how to describe it. It seemed to be almost luminous in its hue. The man too seemed to be observing her as she did him. Suddenly mindful of her manners, Aya bowed in his direction in thanks and acknowledgement. To her surprise, he returned the bow with the same depth. Straightening, he then smiled at her gently and Aya felt herself blush. The smile was warm and gentle, comforting in its sincerity. He was handsome and she couldn't help thinking how appealing he looked. Vaguely she remembered of Sakura and her having one of their numerous girl talks of what qualities made for an ideal boyfriend. Well, it seemed to Aya that he was standing in the flesh right before her. Lowering her eyes, she sensed him as he approached her.

"Are you hurt?" he asked her in a warm tone that once again brought the blush to her cheeks.

"N-no," she replied, still avoiding his eyes. She blinked and looked up when he placed his hands on her shoulders to check her for signs of injuries. Up close and personal with him was even more flustering for her. His eyes seemed to probe into hers as if searching for something. Before Aya could even start to wonder at it, he stepped back and extended his right hand in friendship. Reaching out tentatively, she allowed him to grip hers in a firm yet gentle handshake.

"I am Seki," he introduced himself. "I have been waiting for you for a long time, Aya-san."

Aya opened her mouth but no words came out. '_He knows me? But how? And from where?'_ her mind began questioning. As if reading her thoughts he smiled at her wide-eyed expression.

"There is much that I have to tell you Aya-san. And so little time to prepare you for what is ahead of you."

"How… I mean… what?" she stumbled over the words. Unconsciously she grasped his hand tighter still within her grip. "I don't understand," she finally said.

"I think you have some idea of what is happening, Aya-san. It's only that the full story has not been told to you. But don't worry, that's why I'm here. It's time for you to fulfil the prophecy," Seki replied, his hand still holding hers in a comforting grip. "But not here. I don't think a dark alley would make for a comfortable place to discuss such things, right?" 

His eyes smiled at her as he led her out and towards a motorcycle parked near the curb. Aya took in the motorbike and noted that it too had a distinct style of its own. No doubt to go with the man himself. It had the streamline shape of a modified high-end Kawasaki motorcycle. She put on the helmet he offered her and waited for him to start the ignition before gingerly climbing to sit behind him. As he moved off, she tightened her arms around his waist and blushed at the almost intimate position. '_Stop thinking of such things' _her mind scolded._ 'It's only a bike ride and if you don't hold on you'll tumble off.'_ The ride was incredibly smooth and the engine barely roared as Seki accelerated through the dark streets. With the feel of the wind in her face, Aya began to relax and take in her surroundings. They seemed to be heading towards the flower shop she called home. She should be wondering about this man but given the fact that he saved her from that thing and seemed to know about her, calmed the chaos in her mind. He appeared concerned and somewhere deep within her soul she felt that she could trust him with her life. But there was also something else. It seemed to Aya that the answers to the questions that had been plaguing her could be found in this person. Suddenly glad in that thought, she looked up into the clear night sky and smiled. Things are definitely going to get better she believed.

A while later, Seki pulled up behind the flower shop that Aya now lived in. Carefully dismounting, she returned the helmet to him and dug around for her keys. Only to realise that her belongings were now scattered in the dark alley where the demon had first attacked her. '_Oh no! How am I going to get in?'_ she wondered angrily as her hands unconsciously curled into fists. She glanced up at the man beside her and blinked in surprise when he held up her soaked pouch bag.

"Th-thank you," she stuttered as she reached for it. "I thought I'd lost it for good back there."

"I picked it up before following you," he replied with a small smile. "If the police had found it beside the body of that man, I'm afraid that you'd be hard pressed to explain its presence."

"Oh…" Aya's mind went blank for a moment. How would she have explained it? "Gee, officer, there was this weird monster thing that kinda ripped this guy's head off and sucked the blood up before chasing me down a dead-end alley only to have some white-suited dude stick a really big knife through its heart and then it sorta went 'POOF!' and vanished into thin air." Yeah, that'll go down real well with the law-enforcement community. Suddenly, Aya wasn't in such a good mood. The strain of what she had seen and done were beginning to tell on her. Turning the key in the lock, she walked into the kitchen now barely acknowledging Seki's presence behind her. Closing the door behind them, Seki studied the girl's drooped shoulders and drawn face. It seemed that proceeding with what he had to tell her would have to wait a little while longer. Approaching her, he gently guided her to the kitchen table and sat her down. While he was busying himself with preparing some tea, he kept one eye on the now silent girl.

As if in answer to his silent prayers, he heard a soft shuffling coming down the back stairs. Smiling at the sound of it, he carried the tray of tea crockery and held a chair out for the recently arrived occupant. Aya looked up as Momoe-san seated herself opposite her. Opening her mouth to say something, she closed it when the old lady calmly held her hand up for silence. Looking deep into Aya's eyes, she seemed to be almost reading the thoughts and emotions that still swirled about in confusion within their depths. Finally breaking eye contact with Aya, Momoe-san sat back as Seki placed a cup of fragrant tea by her. Doing the same for Aya and himself, he then sat down at the table and patiently waited. For a time, silence made its heavy presence felt. In the end, Momoe-san broke it by saying the words that were to change Aya's life forever.

"Your destiny as the next Hunter has been awakened. The time for the prophecy to be fulfilled has begun."

Aya's prompt response was to widen her eyes in disbelief before she slipped into unconsciousness.

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Author's Notes: Initially meant to be short, I decided to speed things along by introducing the main characters involved. I thought of creating my form of demon-slaying but felt that a little 'borrowing' from the TV series 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' would reduce the amount of embarrassing mistakes. [Sometimes, my imagination fails me ~__~;;] I did make the monster/creature thing vampire-like but stopped short of actually making it one. [Need some original creativity here, ya know =)] I'll bring in the explanation and other details in another chapter so as to clear up any confusion or "Whaa…?" you may be having.

I think I may have messed up with the grammar and tenses. The story is still a little rough as I'm only beginning to get into the swing of things. Please excuse me for that as it's hard writing and proof-reading your own work. After awhile everything looks the same and you want to scream from having to re-read that same passage for the nth time. :( I would like to thank Pan for reminding me that a fanfic ought to be written as how you mean the story to unfold. [Of course, within grammar and spelling rules]. Thank you!

By the by, please bear with the highly descriptive writing style. My Eng Lit teacher once commented how I seemed to write like an 19th Century novelist, more narrative and description and light on the dialogue. *lol* Truth is, I dislike fiddling about with punctuation. Never can work out the more complex uses of it in dialogue texts. I prefer writing about thoughts and feelings of the characters so that is why some of the future chapters will be more 'angsty' for want of a better word. But the next chapter will involve more dialogue – Schwarz is rather fun to write about. Please C&C if you care to, just don't strike a match. Thanks!


	3. Prophetic Visions

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Chapter 2: Prophetic Visions

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Schwarz apartment HQ, Downtown Tokyo

Crawford woke up in a cold sweat, the images from the nightmare still burning against his retinas. Covering his face with his hands he cursed softly as he forced the visions to recede and leaving him feeling drained and almost physically bruised. It was times like these that being a pre-cog sucked. The sheer horror and devastation his vision foretold had managed to bring one of the coldest, most ruthless assassins to a near wreck. However, Crawford was more angry at not being able to piece together what it was that the visions were trying to tell him than at the frequent late night showers he had had to take after each sweat-drenching nightmare. His logic told him that until the mystery was solved, he'd have to make do with his daily catnaps to refresh his system. 

This was beginning to effect his performance in small ways and it was enough to concern him. Because of this, Schuldig and Nagi began to take on more responsibilities in the managing of their 'business'. As much as he was thankful for it, he detested the fact that he had to rely on them. Brad Crawford was a man who never needed help from anyone. His skills and pre-cognitive talent had carried him through some of the most gruelling and intense training at Estet as well as in handling their business, and damn if he'd let any weird unexplained spooky visions take him down. Shoving aside the bedcovers, he headed for the shower after picking up a change of clothing.

Feeling more relaxed after his shower he headed to the kitchen to make a cup of strong black coffee. A slight prickling and a quick flash of a vision passed through his mind as he returned to the living room. Sitting down in his favourite armchair, he sipped the hot brew as he waited for the door to open. A minute later, he heard the slide of a key in the lock before the door swung open. Glancing up, he took in the man's form as he closed the door behind him while flashing Crawford a lazy smile. Tossing his jacket over the back of the couch, Schuldig dropped down onto it with languorous grace. The easy, almost relaxed pose and hooded eyes did not surprise Crawford. Schuldig had been out looking for a good time, and by the look of things had succeeded. 

"I take it your hunt was successful?" he asked with a faint smirk before taking another sip from his steaming mug.

"Got me a foxy lady," Schuldig replied, his lazy smile widening further. Running a hand through his barely tamed flame-coloured hair, he leaned back into the plush sofa's embrace. He then recalled the sexy little vixen that fell into his 'trap' earlier that evening. She had been so accommodating. And so very talented. The smile on his face widened at the very pleasant memory.

"I don't doubt your abilities to get what you want, Schuldig. As long as you are careful."

"Do you worry about me that much, Crawford?" he almost purred back. "I'm touched."

"Until this matter with Weiss is settled, I don't particularly care. You don't know what the future holds."

"But I have my personal fortune-teller right here to guide me. Plus a telepathic link for instant message delivery," Schuldig replied, tapping the side of his head with his finger. "And at no extra charge," he continued chuckling.

"It doesn't guarantee perfect results every time. Especially not with these damned visions," Crawford retorted, his frown causing the telepath to straighten and narrow his blue eyes. Crawford never admitted to any weakness and this was the closest to a confession if Schuldig ever heard one.

"Spill it, Crawford. You know that the rest of us have a right to know what the hell is going on. I don't have to lecture your own words back at you now do I?" Schuldig said, his voice hardening. He wasn't blind to the fact that Crawford's performance was lagging from the usual highly competent almost perfect state. The fact that he had to pick up the little extra slack had alerted him to the problem some time back. But he knew that Crawford would never admit to anything short of a deep mind probe, and Schuldig had seen no need for it - yet. 

Crawford didn't look at the redhead who was now tense and expectant on the sofa. Schuldig was dangerous in that he was very protective of his own skin and held little belief in the concept of compassion for his fellow man. He knew deep within that the telepath would give him a major mind probe if it served in his best interest. Schuldig and he had an understanding, for want of a better word. Crawford was the leader only because Schuldig was smart enough to know that he lacked the leadership and organisational competency to maintain Schwarz's high standing. The man was also unpredictable at times although this was because of his basic nature. 

Schuldig was on constant threat from the world outside. Thoughts, emotions and other mental processes bombarded him daily and only the incredible mental barriers he created stopped him from becoming another Farfarello in berserker mode. An enraged telepath was only matched by an enraged telekinetic and Crawford briefly recalled witnessing Nagi's powers at the death of that Schreint brat Tot. And lucky Brad had the two of them in his group _and_ a real berserker as an added bonus. Needless to say, he had had to put in a lot of work to ensure the group's success in working together. 

Sighing inwardly, Crawford psyched himself up to face the serious redhead on the sofa. He knew that the group had a right to know about these visions. If what he had seen was true, their very survival hinged on him being able to interpret and devise a counter plan to either avoid or eliminate the threat. The fate of the world didn't concern him. Humanity had a way of getting back on its feet given enough time, resources and fulfilling its petty jealousies. Besides, Schuldig may actually be able to help decipher the jigsaw puzzle of images in his mind.

"You're right, Schuldig. The group has a right to know about this. But I would rather the two of us kept it from the rest in the meantime. Until I can start making head or tail of it, it's useless to worry about it." 

Crawford leaned back into the armchair as if preparing to tell a story. Opposite him, the telepath relaxed once more into the sofa. As far as Schuldig was concerned, Crawford had agreed to save him the need for a prolonged mind probe and the resulting migraine after accomplishing that. Crawford's mind was like a steel trap, and Schuldig didn't like going in there unless he had no choice. As skilled as he was, such mind probes were draining and it exhausted him at the end. Unless the victim was more susceptible, the effort took a lot out of him. But it didn't mean that he wouldn't. He just had to be manipulative and sneaky about it to get his victim to give it to him either willingly or unintentionally. 

Briefly, his mind recalled the girl that had been bait for Weiss. She made it so easy for him with her misplaced guilt and schoolgirl crush for the Weiss leader Abyssinian. The only time she had made it difficult was when he wanted to make her shoot the bastard. He had had a headache after that and took it out on her later in the lab. He had no remorse in slapping her. If she had done as he commanded, both of them wouldn't have had to nurse their respective hurts. '_Stupid bitch'_ he thought before pushing the memory aside and focusing on the issue at hand. He could see Crawford settling back and followed suit. '_Guess it's story time,'_ he thought before paying attention as Crawford began to describe his visions.

"I don't quite know how to start in explaining this…" Crawford began, his frown deepening as he tried to organise the random images in his head. "There's no real beginning although the ending is pretty much the destruction of the world as we know it."

"So what's new about the Apocalypse, Nostradamus?" Schuldig joked half-heartedly. He never did see the pre-cog as one of those maniacal prophets of doom spouting crap about the end of the world. If Crawford had been having such visions, Schuldig would probably have to start finding a religion to believe in soon.

Crawford ignored the jibe and pushed his spectacles further up the bridge of his nose, his mind quickly organising his thoughts into a satisfactory order. Looking up at the redhead, he paused for a moment before continuing.

"The visions don't explain how the Apocalypse comes about, Schuldig. All I essentially see is the result of it happening, the deaths and the fear of people. I feel it as well so there's no way I can just shrug it off. That's why each time I wake up, I feel like I've gone 10 rounds with a really pissed sword-wielding Abyssinian without my powers to help me."

He heard Schuldig give a low grunt at that. They both had had an opportunity to tangle with the dangerous Weiss redhead and were equally unwilling to admit that if it weren't for their special abilities they would have been pushing up daisies a long time ago. As much as they despised Weiss, they had to grudgingly give them some credit for being able to take care of some of the nastier scumbags of the underworld without any special abilities to aid them. 

Schwarz on the other hand, only served to protect their own interests and anything else was either unimportant or inconsequential to their organisation. Weiss in its own way served as pest exterminators, their purpose at times indirectly benefiting Schwarz. But that did not mean that Crawford and Schuldig were grateful; on the contrary, they wanted to bring about the downfall of Weiss in order to satisfy their own need for revenge. 

Nearly three years ago, Weiss had seriously undermined their plans to take control of Estet and especially of its resources in order to establish an organisation dedicated to the creation of chaos and anarchy. It seemed a twisted idea given Crawford's need for order but it was only within Schwarz itself that this sense of order was in effect. Schwarz's specialities included manipulation in its various nasty forms and dirty dealings, with murder as a side dish to be indulged in occasionally when the situation demanded it. 

But on the whole, Weiss was a thorn in their sides that needed to be eliminated. But with this unforeseen problem stemming from Brad's visions, those plans may have to be shelved for the time being. Ah well, all in good time. If Weiss had to be relegated to last place in the 'important matters' tray, so be it. Besides, they could now hold some entertainment value for Schwarz in the meantime. Gently rubbing his temples distractedly, Schuldig waited for Crawford to continue with his explanation of the visions.

"The key points of these visions include certain people who appear to crop up more frequently. It seems to me that they are either the cause of the apocalypse or its salvation. Whatever the case, we need to find them and monitor their activities. If they are in fact the cause of the problem, we eliminate them on the spot."

"No problem there. But if they happen to be our knights in shining armour, what's our plan? Protection until they finish handling the problem of saving the world?" Schuldig asked pointedly. "So, what do they look like and where can we find them?"

"I'm afraid, that's all I have to go on for now. " '_Hopefully I can get more soon'_ he thought to himself.

Crawford turned to stare out of the large window that spanned across half the living room. Silence descended as each man tried to think about what to do. Things did not look too good from where they were standing. What was worse, in Schuldig's opinion, was in knowing when he would be facing death but not in knowing how to escape it. It did not mean that the flame-haired assassin was afraid of dying though; he just wanted it to be on his own terms, like of old age and in bed with several beautiful and talented young nurses to ease him into that final moment. This was the reason why he took Crawford's predictions and pre-cog abilities seriously. If the man told him to jump into a crocodile-infested river, he would do it because it meant that he had a higher chance of survival than if he were to remain on the deck of a soon-to-explode ship. 

But there was also something in this vision that didn't sit well with the telepath. He didn't believe Crawford was lying or keeping something back from him but still, something was decidedly fishy. And Schuldig's spidey sense was tingling. 

'_But not right now_,' he thought tiredly. 

Sighing, Schuldig decided that 4 in the morning really wasn't a very good time for dwelling on the Apocalypse. Besides, he'd had a rather exhausting night with a very demanding lady so he was in no real mood to attempt to deal with the puzzling visions of Crawford. Lifting himself out of the comfy sofa to stretch, he tossed a meaningful look towards the leader of Schwarz before picking up his jacket to head down the hall to his room.

Crawford eyed the redhead as he stood up and stretched the kinks out of his lean body. The look Schuldig gave him was blatantly clear. The man had bought his apocalyptic vision but he had yet to sign the check. The serious lack of detail was a major hindrance that Crawford had to overcome if he were to avert the disaster to come. Cursing under his breath, he too got up and stretched lightly. There was little he could do about it at this point in time. Crawford's belief in his abilities was strong. He had yet to fail in interpreting his visions and he wasn't about to fail now. Walking towards his office after dumping the now cold coffee into the sink, he wondered if he should surrender himself to the visions and let them control the direction of the dreamsleep. 

It was a very dangerous thing to do as such a loss of control could kill him with the intensity of the emotions it caused. Among the pre-cognitive few, it was understood that such a manoeuvre was tantamount to cerebral suicide. Sitting down at his desk, he steepled his fingers below his chin and weighed the pros and cons of such a dare. He seriously wished for a moment that he didn't have to think about this as he had no need or desire to want to play the hero. He knew that he needed to find the individuals who appeared to know what was happening and seemed to be doing something about it. And when he did find them and they took care of the damned problem, he'd then shoot them for the inconvenience it had caused him. Smiling grimly at the almost pleasant thought, he switched on his computer and started to take care of 'business'.

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Author's Notes: This was an interesting piece to write. So much dialogue, considering I detest having to figure out the punctuation in writing dialogue. Ugh! (chuckles) No doubt some readers are going psycho with my interpretation of Crawford and Schu. The fact is I refuse to use most fan-based work to influence my understanding of their characters. I don't see Crawford as being Mr. Perfect if Anal-retentive Leader nor do I see Schu as being overly playful and secondary to Crawford. They can joke a little where necessary but I don't really intend to create a humorous fic. I've basically written them according to what I've seen and interpreted from watching the anime and how I believe they would interact out of sight of other people. 

Their relationship with each other is not all that 'brotherly' and how they view each other helps to strengthen their respective characters further. I also made it such that they also have their weaknesses as it makes them a lot more human than what is generally portrayed. I think psychic abilities tend to drain one if used too much or too frequently. This is why it was focused on in this chapter. I hope you'll see why I portrayed these two in the way I did. If I do screw this story up, I hope that it'll be due to a weak plot rather than character depictions and descriptions. 

I'll be bringing the Weiss boys in for the next chapter with primary focus on Yoji and Ran. Like I said in the beginning, there'll be NO YAOI! [ducks behind computer table from assorted thrown objects] They do have a relationship of sorts and I'll be attempting a lot of 'angsty' thoughts by Yoji. I'm getting into the swing of things but the proofing is still difficult, but I don't think it's that bad. Till the next time, please bear with me and any constructive C&Cs are most welcome. Thanks!


	4. Meditations Yoji & Revelations Ran

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Disclaimer: I don't own Weiss. I'm just borrowing them for creative purposes that generate no income whatsoever. Just personal satisfaction. Happy?

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Chapter 3: Meditations [Yoji] & Revelations [Ran]

Glancing about in a furtive manner, Yoji reached into his back pocket to pull out the crumpled packet. Senses alert and wary, his fingers instinctively handled the cigarette packet and gently gripped the slender stick within. His eyes continued their careful search of the area and his body remained on high alert for any sound. Pulling out the lighter, he quickly brought both the cigarette and the lighter towards his mouth to perform the ritual smokers the world over did. An easy flick of the thumb and the flame leaped up to almost caress the end of the cigarette. 

Gently pulling in on the filter, the cigarette tip glowing red-hot as the fire caught. Replacing the now unnecessary lighter in the back pocket with the crumpled packet. As the nicotine began to seep into his system, his paranoia began to recede. Leaning nonchalantly against the grubby wall behind him, Yoji allowed his mind to drift. That was one of the reasons why he couldn't quit smoking, nicotine relaxed him and allowed his brain to function better, or so he wished to believe.

Staring off into the distance, his eyes began to mist over as he zoned out. His shift at the shop was over and as he had no plans for tonight, he had the time to himself. Damn, but he missed the old days when they each had their own rooms. Taking a drag from the cigarette, he wistfully recalled the happy times of slipping in late and creeping up to his own room without the rest knowing about it. Well, Ken and Omi that is. Aya - no Ran, his mind automatically corrected, would know when he came in late. The man could never relax until he was absolutely certain that things were alright. 

Yoji appreciated the concern but it annoyed him too. For Heaven's sake, he was older than him! '_The guy needs to get laid'_ his mind replied. Yoji's mouth curled upwards in amusement at the thought. What fun it would be to be the one waiting up as the redhead crept in with his clothes rumpled, lipstick on his collar and probably in other 'intriguing' places. Ah, that'll be the day. Ran was just as uptight and anal-retentive as the first time Yoji met him. The only difference now was that he didn't go into his periodic rages. Ran was calmer now, not colder which was a relief.

Since his sister's awakening, Ran had taken back his original name and continued to work with Kritiker. The only justification as far as Yoji could understand was his need to protect his sister even from afar. The fewer bastards out there equalled to fewer bastards to hurt his sister. Even though Manx promised to look after Aya's welfare, Ran did what he thought was best. The guy had no idea when to quit. In a way, this saved their collective asses from being blown away time and again but everybody needed a break from assassin work. Thinking about this brought another less than pleasant thought to him. Omi and Ken's current reticent nature was beginning to strain him. Before, only Ran was the glum chum but now Yoji began to feel the burden of carrying the 'genki' torch. 

Sighing, he cursed that bastard Powell who screwed with them and blackmailed their friendship by holding that brother and sister hostage to his twisted plans. Because of that, the brother Akira was killed and his sister Kaori made an orphan. Scowling at the memory, he took another deep pull at the now shortened cigarette. Omi and Ken were the only ones who had got to know the two, and given their more friendly nature took the brunt of the fallout when Weiss stood on opposing sides. The resultant mock battle created more emotional wounds on the two than if it had been real and now tensions were strained. Which in turn brought him back to his guilty indulgence with the cigarette.

Flicking the still smoking butt down, he crushed it underfoot more vehemently than he intended. He knew that Omi and Ken disliked his smoking habits but had rarely voiced it when they were living at the Koneko. They had had their own space and would leave if the smoking got on their nerves too much. Now with their new home being the confining trailer, they had demanded that he stopped smoking in their presence. Ran too, was adamant that the disgusting habit end as he had curtly said that he had no wish to die of lung cancer. 

Yoji's response was to laugh at the absurdity of it given their night time activities, but choked it back when Ran had pressed the blade of his gleaming katana against his throat. Not that it really mattered one way or the other, but Omi was fingering the large dart in his hand and Ken was flexing his bugnuks slowly, the faint scratch of the leather gloves deafening in the heavy silence that followed. The look in their eyes was not forgiving. Yoji guessed right that the confined space was seriously beginning to eat at their sense of privacy. And so he agreed under duress to quit cold turkey. Right, easier said than done. All it did was to drive him out of the trailer and skulk in alleyways to get his daily nicotine fix. Until they found out. Now, it became an unpleasant game of hide-and-seek with three highly skilled assassins hunting him down. Damn.

Suddenly sensing something, Yoji's instincts scrambled in record time. Eyes darting, he saw a figure standing below a low awning watching him. Slowly stepping out, Yoji made him out to be Ran. The impassive face gave no hint as to the man's thoughts, his lavender eyes shaded by the overhead awning. It seemed as if time stood still before Ran moved out from the shadows. Yoji knew that the man had probably seen him puffing away and waited for him to put out the cigarette before making his presence felt. Ran was very dangerous in that sense. Since the Estet fight, the new assassin Ran who emerged was even more ruthless than his predecessor who called himself Aya. Yoji was glad that he was his side. Even so, he didn't like antagonising the redhead more than necessary. Forcing himself to relax, he waited for the inevitable lecture. 

Ran stepped up to him and held out his hand. Sighing loudly, Yoji reached into his back pocket and withdrew the crumpled packet. Sullenly handing it over, he was surprised when Ran took one out and placed it in his mouth. Signalling for the lighter, he took it when the chestnut blonde mutely handed it over. With a grace that almost floored Yoji, Ran lit up like a pro before tossing the lighter back. Fumbling as he caught it, his eyes widened further as Ran sucked in the smoke without flinching. This was too much for Yoji. Who was this guy?

"Where the hell did you learn to do that?" Yoji asked, his eyes never leaving Ran's face.

"Hn," was the non-committal reply. Breathing out the smoke, Ran leaned back against the same wall Yoji occupied earlier.

Frowning at the redhead, Yoji settled beside him. Folding his arms across his chest, he waited for Ran's response. Something was not right. His detective sense was buzzing and his curiosity whetted. Forcing down his impatience, he waited for his partner to speak. Since the Powell incident, Ran had become more open but only to him. Why the change, he had yet to figure it out. Whatever it was, he almost revelled in the trust the reluctant redhead placed in him. He was not blind to the fact that Omi and Ken had got closer together as if in response to theirs. As much as he valued Ran's trust, he was also afraid of the group's slow but steady withdrawal from each other. Unless they managed to pull through, Weiss was screwed big time. 

Closing his eyes briefly, he wondered what would happen if this was to happen. The thought of not having 

the people he cared about around him chilled his heart. Since Asuka, Yoji never wanted to be in a situation of helplessness. After Neu's death, that had apparently sealed his fate of not wanting to be with anyone beyond what was necessary. However, he forgot that Weiss was his family and would always be. Not by blood ties but by the fact that they shared more grief and heartache than any normal family did. Without realising it, Yoji was committed - and he would kill to protect them.

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Letting the cigarette hang loosely in his hand by his side, Ran quietly observed the chestnut blonde beside him. He had followed Yoji and took great care not to alert the man to his presence. He had earlier watched as the man's thoughts and emotions flickered across his expressive face, and the jade green eyes darken as his thoughts wandered into painful memories. Ran could only guess at Yoji's thoughts but did not press the issue. It was an unspoken rule between them since that fateful mission. Speak only when you wish to share. Yoji never forced Ran to spill his sob story and Ran in return, did the same. Slowly over time, they began to talk of certain things, the other party neither judging nor condemning. It was oddly comforting. Besides, Ran had followed Yoji not to catch him out with the cigarette, but to talk to him about his sister Aya. Seeing Yoji's eyes flutter open, he shifted slightly to get the man's attention. Raising his head, Yoji turned to look Ran in the eye. He was listening.

"I went to see Aya today," Ran began, his voice hesitant.

"How was she?" The subtle hint to continue was there.

"She looked happy. Sakura had just arrived to help her in the shop."

"That's good to hear."

"I miss her…" The pain in his voice was evident. "Even though I know that I can never be near her. At least, not without putting her in danger." 

'_Like the last time'_ the voice in his head added cruelly.

Yoji kept silent. It took a lot of guts for Ran to admit it but where his sister was concerned, the man would confess to making a pact with the devil without flinching. That was what Ran talked about the most. It was the only thing he jealously guarded from everyone else. Aya's well being was the only thing he lived for. If he couldn't be with her, the least he could do was to protect her to the best of his ability. That was the reason why he remained with Weiss. But even if he didn't want to admit it, the others also formed part of the full reason for him staying. And for that, Yoji was glad. 

There was too much history between all of them, the Takatori incident, Schwarz and Estet had only served to strengthen the bonds between them. But the Powell incident was now threatening those bonds. It did not help that the claustrophobic living space and lack of privacy was hastening the deterioration of their friendship. '_Must get Manx to fix this_ _if she wants to keep Kritiker's most successful team,'_ he thought. However, Ran's next words caught his attention and took his breath away.

"I'm thinking of leaving."

There was a long tense moment of silence. Finally, Yoji broke it with his question.

"Are you sure?" Yoji asked, his voice low to hide the sudden tremor. '_No Ran, don't leave us,'_ his mind screamed out.

"No."

"Then why even say it if you don't mean it?" Yoji growled back, forgetting their unspoken promise. He couldn't believe this guy. How dare he say such a thing without even thinking of the consequences! Omi and Ken needed him despite his almost frigid attitude, and Yoji knew that he himself had little ability to handle the potentially chaotic outcome from Ran's leaving. 

"What do you plan on doing assuming you left Weiss? Set up a flower shop to sell pretty posies to little schoolgirls?" It was a low blow but Yoji was mad.

"I don't expect you to understand."

"You're right. I don't get it. Care to explain it to me, Ran?" he retorted still fuming. '_Calm down before you do drive him away,'_ his inner self cautioned. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes for a moment. Opening them again he looked the redhead straight in the eye, the gaze seeming to pin him to the wall. 

"I want to be with my sister. I want her with me as close as possible. I hope to take her some place where we won't have to worry about someone threatening us. I need her Yoji, she's the only one who can heal me," Ran whispered, his lavender eyes now a dark swirl of emotion. 

It had to be the hardest thing for him to say but it was the truth. He thought that Yoji would understand, perhaps he was wrong. He had told the blonde more than once that he couldn't be with her because of his past, but after seeing her… he wasn't so sure anymore. She had almost seen him that day, carelessness on his part but a small voice within said that he actually wanted her to. After Sakura went back in flipping the 'Closed' sign, he had crept round the back and listened to them by the kitchen window. He heard them ask Aya if she was alright and worried at that. 

What few times he managed to secretly watch her, he could see how she would sometimes withdraw and her eyes would dim with sadness. He had at one point some time back overheard Sakura and Momoe-san voice their concern over her state of mind and it began to eat at him. He knew that he should let her grieve and then begin to pick up the pieces of her life and move on, but his selfish need to be near her was not helping matters. He knew that she had caught sight of him and only a quick duck behind the building prevented her from actually recognising him. 

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I can't let it go… I won't let it go! 

It seemed as though this thought was the only thing running around in his head, accompanied by images of his sister laughing, crying, teasing him and calling out to him. That was the worse part; he heard it almost every night when he fell asleep, her voice crying out as he raced towards her desperately trying to grab her outstretched hand but always failing. It was terrifying in its intensity at times. The worst nightmare had twisted demonic forms writhing in the background almost seeming to pull her in and to swallow her with its darkness. Ran had woken up screaming her out name. 

It took Omi and Ken to sit on him before he calmed down enough to order them off him. Yoji had quickly gone to the nearest all-night minimart to grab a couple of six-packs to calm everybody's nerves after that fright. Ran mumbled an apology and the others had accepted it. All of them had at one point freaked the others out with their occasional nightmares, but Ran's was different. Aya was safe now, wasn't she? Then why these cursed nightmares? Needless to say, it was an important part of Ran's decision to think about leaving Weiss. But how could he explain it to the tall blonde beside him?

Despite his aloof stand from the other members of Weiss, Ran was one of the more sensitive ones to be able to pick up on people's emotions. He was not blind to the fact that Omi and Ken were still dwelling on the fate of the two siblings who were caught up in the shady dealings of the Americans. Ken in particular has a sense of justice that burned as strongly as Ran's. The only difference was the intensity of the blaze; where Ran's burned cold and precise, Ken's was hot and sweeping. Ken had hated the deception; it was unforgivable no matter what the reason. 

Unfortunately, Manx had been left with little choice in the matter as she was under the control of the fake Persia. Ran had had to handle most of the planning together with Yoji, perhaps that was how they began to get along better after that. Omi and Ken had had their hands full with the siblings, so that limited their participation in the mock battle that was to take place in the old carnival grounds. Ran never liked recalling that incident, it appeared as a possible prediction for Weiss' future if the members were unable to unite. How could one mission result in such a dangerous outcome?

Ran saw Weiss as his family but despite that, he knew that his loyalties lay primarily with his sister. Manx knew that as did the rest, and perhaps that was what that was further straining the situation between all of them. Ran admitted that he was selfish in sacrificing the group for the sake of his sister but wasn't it for the sake of his sister that he had joined in the first place? With Aya now awake and living he should be happy for her and move on, but why couldn't he let her go? He was supposed to be dead after all. He sighed in resignation. If Aya was in trouble, he would have easily dropped everything and head off after her ready to do battle. But she wasn't. She was sad and still grieving for him and their parents. 

Then why in the world was he plagued by such horrendous nightmares? Ran did not believe in dreams predicting the future but after tangling with Schwarz, and in particular their pre-cog leader, he wasn't so sure. If these people exist, who is to say that such things are a lot of superstitious mumbo-jumbo? Damn, but he was starting to get confused. No wonder Yoji was mad at him, he could barely decide then and there with conviction if he was going to leave Weiss. And if he had to make a choice, it would have to be soon. He just wished that it didn't have to be so damn difficult.

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Author's Notes: At last this chapter is done. I think Yoji's POV is fairly straightforward to understand. He strikes me as an honest thinker, in that he weighs his thoughts and conclusions without unnecessarily judging the other person. He's also especially honest with himself as it has been revealed through his memories of Asuka and Neu. He deeply regrets what has happened and he knows that he would have to bear these scars for as long as he lives. That in a way justifies his need to be in Weiss, the people around him share in his pain as he does in theirs. I suppose sharing the grief with those who can truly empathise helps to lessen the pain. At least that's what I've found. Misery does love company, especially if they share the similar type of angst. ^__^

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It was easy to begin but it got harder towards the end, especially with Ran. I tried not to make him too soppy but I wanted to also heighten his need to be with his sister and to a certain extent want to leave Weiss. The dreams serve to confuse him and to challenge his loyalties further. True, I believe that Ran would leave Weiss for Aya-chan but only if it was crucial for him to do so. Ran deeply values his place within the group and knows that the others have some degree of dependency on him just by being there. As Yoji had made it clear, Ran was a crucial part of the team as with each of its members. Despite appearances, Ran is probably one of the best confidants to have around, especially where Yoji is concerned.

I hope that I did not confuse myself too much here. Sometimes working too hard on something can blind you to its faults. I really like this story and I hope to convey the same joy and excitement I feel in presenting it to you. Please let me know how you think it is going, motivation certainly helps with the flow of inspiration in setting the story out. I know where I would like to go with this, but I need to find the words to express it in the way I intend it to flow. I'll be returning briefly on the other members of Weiss and Schwarz in the next chapter. Till then, please let me know what you make of this story so far!


	5. Musings: Schwarz & Weiss

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Disclaimers: I sadly do not own Weiss and the related characters. I wish I did but I don't have enough money to buy them. *sniffs*

This is dedicated especially to Pan for writing such wonderful reviews. Maybe YOU should write the Pink Haven series instead of me. *lol*

Thank you all who have been so kind as to leave a review at the ff.net website. I treasure them greatly and hope to continue working hard in bringing this story to you.

~ Bern.

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Chapter 4: Musings [Schwarz & Weiss]

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Schwarz HQ, Tokyo.

Sunday morning 

Farfarello flipped his blade into the air idly as he leaned against the study wall. Although he was bored with the current situation, his instincts seemed to be buzzing about something exciting that was about to happen. Crawford was up to something and now Schuldig seemed to be in on it. It was rather unfair as far as he was concerned but he knew that that was the way Crawford worked. Despite his rather uninvolved status in Schwarz's organisational aspects, Farfarello was pretty much aware of its workings within the group. He enjoyed the dirty work and Schuldig was a good partner to have at times, but he still preferred to work alone. Gutting his enemies while they screamed and pleaded for mercy was something he savoured and rarely liked sharing their agony with anyone. Schuldig would usually dig out the information from their minds and would then leave the rest of the dirty work to him while waiting for him in the car. Farfarello knew that this was to protect the German from the excessive thought barrages as the victims died and to give him sufficient distance from the activity. 

Crawford on the other hand, wasn't as fun. The man would simply put a bullet through the person's heart or brain before walking away. Farfarello rarely had much opportunity to 'play' with them unless Crawford allowed it as a means to make them more accommodating to his requests. After that, it was either the bullet or the quick stab through the base of the skull to kill them quickly. Despite appearances, the rest of Schwarz held a rather humane outlook in the termination of their victims. In Farfarello's case however, it was debatable much like his moods. Sometimes calm and quick, other times excessively violent and messy. It was all a matter of his current state of hormonal imbalance and perverted tastes.

Nagi was scouring the information super highway searching for the data he needed on Crawford's visions. He had happened to overhear the conversation between Crawford and Schuldig and it bothered him. Crawford was always calm and in control of the situation and never during Nagi's time with Schwarz had he seen Crawford so rattled. He was surprised that Schuldig had not picked up on his presence during that time and put it down to the telepath's distraction at the news. There was too little to go on and the amount of information he had picked up on the Apocalypse and the biblical references in the Revelations only served to confuse him further. Suddenly remembering the silent watcher behind him, Nagi turned to Farfarello for help in explaining the significance of the biblical references.

"Farfarello, can you help me with this please? I'm quite unfamiliar with the Christian concepts of the end of the world." Nagi pointed to the monitor screen showing the specific text from the bible on the Revelations.

"The great beast will arise and devour the world. Only those chosen by the Lord will be spared and the rest to perish," the Irishman responded laconically. "Those marked by the beast will be cursed and damned to everlasting torment in the fires of hell."

"And what does that mean exactly?" Nagi's frown deepened. Farfarello had merely paraphrased what he had read but not explained it. Sometimes the man was thoroughly unhelpful and at other times, preaching the Word of God like an evangelist on those American television shows. This time was probably the former. 

"It simply means that the time for hurting God is coming."

Nagi sighed and rubbed his eyes. The man was being a nuisance and he wished that Crawford would send Farfarello out on some mission. Nagi was beginning to tire from his net surfing and decided to take a short break from the computer. Ignoring the Irishman as he exited the room, he made his way to the kitchen for a glass of fruit juice. Since it was Sunday, he knew that Schuldig would be lounging about in bed and Crawford would be catching up on the week's work before planning the following week's one. Since Crawford's upsetting visions, the American had had to leave more of the work to Schuldig and him. It suited Nagi as it gave him a clearer understanding of how Schwarz worked. 

Nagi had always secretly held the American in high regarded and not just because it was Crawford who had found him. The man's ability to hold things together given the generally unstable group dynamics coupled with the overall running of their organisation was a skill that Nagi hoped to acquire in due time. Nagi knew that despite the group's generally high competence in taking care of their own, no one was infallible. Crawford's near crippling visions was a good example in the making of how things needed to be handled swiftly and competently. Nagi did not hold out to the fact that Schuldig would be able to handle the group in the event of Crawford's incapacity. It was that Schuldig simply detested the paperwork and Farfarello was just Farfarello. That left only him and he wasn't complaining. 

Nagi never liked killing, it was tiring and it made him uncomfortable. The last time he had expended his powers to the max was when Farfarello had killed Tot. He never forgave the Irishman and Farfarello never cared about it. In the berserker's eyes, he had done what he was wont to do. He had no care for Nagi's feelings and the resulting levelling to the Schreint base barely registered in his mind. Nagi disliked the man intensely but he tolerated him for Crawford's sake. Besides, Farfarello had his uses. Even if wasn't particularly helpful in this matter of explaining about the Christian interpretation of the Apocalypse. 

As Nagi sat at the kitchen table sipping his orange juice, he couldn't help but wonder if he was on the right track. Perhaps he was missing something but of what, he had no idea. Finishing the juice, he got up and washed the glass before heading back to his room. Glancing at the clock, he realised that it was time for lunch. Given the fact that nobody seemed to care, Nagi saw no need to bother. Besides, he wasn't very hungry and the juice had filled him sufficiently. Perhaps some light reading and a short nap would help him focus better on finding something to help Crawford with interpreting his visions.

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Weiss Mobile HQ

Afternoon

In the trailer, Omi washed up while Ken helped with the drying and stacking of the clean dishes and utensils. Lunch had been uneventful and little conversation had taken place during the meal. Ran had seemed distracted about something while Yohji looked annoyed. Something must have happened between them to cause the unnatural quiet. Usually Yohji would be narrating some silly story or joke to lighten the atmosphere of the trailer but not this time. Omi had been lacking in his usual cheerful self since the Powell incident and he knew that Yohji had been picking up the slack. As he washed the dishes, Omi wondered why he was feeling the way he was. Even though the Takatori Mamoru incident had caused him much agony, he hadn't let it get to him as much as this. Why was it so? 

The only answer that seemed to make sense was that an innocent life had been sacrificed in order to bring down a tyrant. And the result is that a young teenage girl has to live the life of an orphan not once, but twice over with the death of her only brother. It hurt him that he could not do anything about it, and the staged battle in the fairground also added to the resulting tension. Handing over the wet dish to Ken, Omi decided then and there to find a way to heal his pain and to refocus his energy on reuniting Weiss. It was too long and unless he wanted to see his family torn apart by this distance, Omi had little choice in the matter. If anything, the threat of not having them together should serve as a catalyst. As his thoughts guided him, he could feel his resolve strengthening. His heart cleansed of the unnecessary guilt, he handed the last plate over to Ken and smiled.

Needless to say Ken's response to Omi's sudden smile was startling. Fumbling with the water-slick dish, he almost dropped it before recovering. It had been so long since the boy had smiled with such warmth and it made Ken curious. As far as he could discern, the Omi of a minute ago had been distant and at times withdrawn from the activities around him. He rarely smiled with any warmth or joy, and Ken had felt oddly guilty for it. Perhaps all of them did; Yohji and Ran included. Omi was the reason why working in the more covert operations of Kritiker more tolerable. Ken had to live a lie every day since his joining and Omi had been the one who helped him to remember that it was a necessary lie that need not cloud his principles. What they did was justifiable; it kept the innocent people safe and helped to reduce the more serious crimes in general. 

But sometimes, things can go wrong and the people you wish to protect end up losing their lives. Akira's face flashed through his mind at that sobering thought. To save his sister, he had sacrificed himself to the soldiers that came to hunt them down. Neither Omi nor he had been there to protect them, and for that Ken felt the burden of guilt. Despite knowing that they would not have been able to handle the situation given their own lack of firepower, Ken still felt it was inexcusable. But while Yohji had been explaining the details and outlining the battle plans, Akira had been killed and his sister kidnapped. And Ken had felt the sharp pain of that guilt tearing through his soul. He had felt a vicious joy for the opportunity to savagely rip through the damn man yet the guilt still lingered. It was almost like that incident with Kase, but then Kase had betrayed him and had tried to kill him not once, but twice. Akira was different. That was why the guilt had been so much more suffocating. Killing Powell had served little purpose but to remove his presence and his threat to Kritiker and the Japanese government. Other than that, it made no difference. The revenge was more bitter than sweet.

But seeing Omi smile forced him to realise his position in their little informal family. He wasn't alone. He had people around him who carried their own guilt around but refused to let it drag them down. Sometimes at night, Ken could sometimes sense one of them awake and thoughtful in the dark, no doubt replaying the different events in his mind and wondering what would have happened if things had been different, and the choices made then could be changed. Slowly shaking his head, Ken knew that he had been selfish as had Omi. Things like this were bound to happen given their line of work. To give in to the hurt and guilt would ensure a death sentence, if not for him then for someone else in the team because of his self-pity. Ken refused to let it happen. If anything, Akira's death should serve as an example of how bad a situation could get and that sometimes an innocent person would have to be sacrificed. The key was in minimising the chances for such mistakes to happen. Looking at Omi, Ken smiled back. It seemed that Weiss was starting to come together once more.

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Author's Notes: I don't really read the bible even though I know about the Revelations and the Great Beast that features in it. I didn't go into details simply because it's not all that relevant. I've decided to make Farfarello rather contrary and Nagi's response is fairly accurate to his laconic response. I don't believe that Nagi is all that loving to Farf; if anything, he would probably want smash the Irishman into and through the ground until he pops out somewhere in North America. Farf had taken away the one person who accepted Nagi for who he is; after all how would you feel if that special someone had been so cruelly taken away? It is only Nagi's devotion and unwavering loyalty to Crawford that Farf's still breathing. As for Nagi's relationship with Schu? Let's just say I reserve my opinion at a later time. 

BTW, can anyone guess as to how much I adore Farf? The guy gives me the willies but let it not be said that I will not give the fellow his due – eventually. I could never understand him very well and it doesn't help matters much that I've read one too many insane, humour, violent and/or angsty fics starring the resident psycho. *sigh* Need to focus here…

I know it seems that Omi and Ken's emotions and thoughts seem a little rushed and the change a little too sudden. Well, they have been brooding about it for some time and I made it such that they are forced to see the situation beyond their own little circle of misery. I didn't trivialise their emotions and thoughts but I did make them a little more practical to the overall situation. Tensions being high and Yohji is currently pretty pissed. Besides, how much time could they afford to brood on the situation? Weiss is in a near crisis so everybody needs to pull together. Besides, I think that it was time to move things along. *laughs*

BTW, I'm still looking for the so-called purple wallpaper in the Schwarz household – can anybody answer this question? I really, REALLY want to know if it does exist or if it's some twisted figment of my imagination. Or perhaps it was one of those threads in the MLs that tends to linger in the mind long after the talk has faded away. Whatever the case, can someone put me out of my misery regarding this? Thanks!


	6. Dark Moon Ascending

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Disclaimers: Weiss Kreuz belongs to Takehito Koyasu and Project Weiss. I just 'borrowed' them for a little non-profit fun. 

Thank you to:

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Pan: Love reading your reviews! They make me want to push on with the story to its completion [or as complete as I can get it]. As to light-hearted moments, sorry but it's still more drama mixed with some action. I plan to write a side story about Aya-chan's training sessions and will make it more 'funny' than this. Can you bear with me till then? If not, you can always read my AnimeQuest fic posted under my name. *lol*

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Larania: You may be right on this one. I think that Ran could use having his adorable 'rear' saved by his little sister. Stay tuned for more!

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Yue no Miko, RaTt, Alyssa Sadi, Gene Weiss, Roxanna Ohtori, Little Red Dragon and all the other reviewers: Thank you for your kind words. I'm already planning the ending on this story arc so bear with me till then. Please let me know what you think of the story as it unfolds, I love reading your thoughts on this!

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Chapter 5: Dark Moon Ascending

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Koneko no Sumu Ie Florist Shop, Tokyo

After midnight

Momoe-san smiled as she stared into the mirror's depths. It seemed that her hope of uniting two of the more powerful groups of Guardians was nearing its goal. It was unfortunate that their two respective leaders had to endure such terrifying dreams but it had been necessary. Although Momoe-san did not create those nightmares, she had in fact directed them to those whom she had felt were able to assist Aya in her fulfilling destiny. A Hunter no matter how skilled still needed assistance when it came to challenging the dreaded enemy. And for Momoe-san, she had decided that the people to be involved were the very ones who named themselves after the colours of light and dark - Weiss and Schwarz.

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Koneko no Sumu Ie Florist Shop, Tokyo

Early morning

Aya woke up the next morning feeling strangely refreshed if a little confused. For a moment, she almost panicked but the bright sunshine and the distant hum of traffic reassured her of her place. Smiling softly to herself, she put it down to a frightful dream that had a knight in shining armour coming to rescue her at the end. The motorcycle ride through the night seemed to add an almost romantic turn and Aya blushed as she recalled it. It had been so vivid! Sighing, she got up and fetched her change of clothing before heading to the shower. Half an hour later, she made her way downstairs to prepare for the day. As it was Sunday, Aya didn't feel the need to rush. Besides, she was still mooning about her knight and therefore did not notice the new visitor in the kitchen. 

"Hi! You're the girl who was sleeping. So you did wake up," a chirpy voice spoke out. Aya almost dropped the mug in her hand at the sudden interruption. Turning to stare at the girl, Aya missed Seki walking in.

"I see you've met Nanami," he smiled in greeting. Aya looked up and her mouth fell open. Suddenly, she began to realise that the events the night before had not so much been a dream but the truth. Feeling a little shaky, Aya sat down in the chair that Seki had instinctively pulled out for her. Opposite her, the sky blue-haired girl smiled broadly and waved cheerfully her at her. Smiling weakly, Aya murmured a greeting. Seki continued to potter around the kitchen fixing breakfast when Momoe-san walked in. Greeting everyone at the table, she sat down in the proffered seat and accepted Seki's offer of a cup of hot tea. Taking a sip of it, she looked at Aya noting her near panicked expression. It seemed that their resident Hunter-to-be was about to have a nervous breakdown.

"Aya-chan, please calm yourself. There's nothing to be worried about," Momoe-san said soothingly as she reached out to pat the girl's cold hand. "We'll explain everything to you."

"I-I don't know… I mean how…." Aya stuttered as she frantically glanced around almost expecting the bogeyman to jump out at her from a corner.

"Please Aya-chan, you'll do yourself an injury if you don't calm down. Seki, could you get her a glass of water please? Thank you, dear."

After he placed the glass of water by Aya, Seki called to Nanami and they both left the kitchen. Now alone with the old lady, Aya began to calm down and tentatively sipped from the glass. Finally looking up at Momoe-san, Aya waited for the old lady to begin her explanation. After all, the time had come when she was tired of being badly surprised. First that strange demon-monster thing, then Seki, and now this girl Nanami who seemed to know about her recent past. It was becoming increasingly unacceptable that she was being kept in the dark of these strange events and it was beginning frustrate her. Aya had no wish to repeat the runaround she received involving her brother's death and if need be, tie these three persons to their chairs and get the answers out of them. As she contemplated this appealing option, Aya's eyes began to harden and her stubborn Fujimiya nature started to assert itself.

Momoe-san smiled inwardly as she saw Aya's change in expression and her posture. It seemed that the Hunter was beginning to awaken and that was a good sign. It could make the telling of her destiny easier. Given that Aya had witnessed the demon and its abilities, it would take even less effort to explain about its nature and purpose. The only problem could lie in Aya having to accept the fact that the role she was to play in defeating the one known as the Great Demon - the harbinger of the Apocalypse. Ah well, no point in speculating when the girl looked ready to pounce and probably wring it out of her. Placing her half-empty cup back on the table, she smiled at the tense girl and proceeded to narrate the ancient legend of the Hunter.

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Weiss Mobile HQ, Kyoto

Early morning

Ken and Omi carried the last of the flowerpots into the large pink trailer that served as both their headqurters/home and shop. Ran checked the stocks while Yoji essentially did very little except flirt with the few girls that were out and about early in the morning. There was a palpable sense of excitement that ran through the small group that morning. After a year of being forced to relocate to the huge and embarrassingly pink coloured trailer, they were finally allowed to return to Tokyo. However, it was the promise of a more permanent headquarters located within the Chiba prefecture that was the draw. To Weiss, more permanent quarters meant a decent room for each of them without having to share space with one another more than what was necessary. 

Last night, when Manx had given them the good news, Omi and Ken had burst into loud cheers before flinging themselves into each other's arms and attempting to dance the jig. Yoji's response was to fling himself into Manx's arms but without such good results. The quick-minded redhead had anticipated the blonde's intentions even before he did. All that happened was her nimbly sidestepping the groping man's embrace and causing him to trip over the low table and crashed into the two dancers. Ran watched the spectacle with muted amusement as the three tried to untangle themselves while Manx simply smirked.

After the meeting, Yoji had followed Manx out. The other members started to pack up the various articles and personal belongings, eager to start moving out. Ran had caught Yoji's eye as he walked out of the trailer but the blonde had merely shrugged lightly. A nagging thought in Ran's mind started but quickly abated when he heard a muffled squawk of pain from the blonde a couple of minutes later. Whatever it was that Yoji had wanted to talk to Manx about had now essentially ended. If Ran's intuition was right, he had a feeling that the blonde had something to do with this sudden recall to Tokyo. Whatever it was, Ran was glad to return so as to be close to his sister. 

Something was about to happen in Tokyo where his sister was, and he wanted to be there when it did.

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Chateau Rochiel, Switzerland

Early Summer

Staring out across the lake, the man known as the Baron Rothschild, idly stroked his smooth chin while contemplating the information he had received earlier that morning. The news neither amused him nor did it serve to distress him. In any case, it was still interesting. After the earlier debacle with the group of three known as the Elders, he had merely moved on in his plans. He had known that their plans to resurrect the Great One had come to nought as both Schwarz and Weiss had managed to sabotage the proceedings. He smiled grimly at the memory. 

The Elders had over-reached their limits and they deserved to face the consequences of their actions. To raise a mighty power such as that would have been catastrophic without the necessary preparations and skilled sorcerers to strengthen the protection barriers and to channel the power streams precisely. The Great One had little use for humans; it was more than capable of summoning its own minions to handle its needs. The Elders had once failed over fifty years ago, now they have failed once more – this time permanently. The Baron was glad of that, it made his plans a lot more possible. 

Even as he looked out over the pristine alpine landscape, his thoughts drifted to the news he had recently received. It seemed that history was repeating itself, for a new Hunter had appeared. Since it was in Tokyo, he had placed his Japanese contact on the trail. If nothing else, Sato was thorough. Soon, he would have the information he needed and his plans put into motion. And with both Weiss and Schwarz currently there, he would have to take a little more precaution. Never let it be said that the Baron did not watch his back. Weiss was of less concern as they lacked any psychic abilities; Schwarz, on the other hand, needed to be watched more closely. 

The team's leader Brad Crawford could spot disaster coming a mile away and his team was more than capable in eliminating the threat before it even had a chance to materialise. Narrowing his eyes thoughtfully, Rothschild pondered on this problem. Schwarz is a powerful asset to have but too dangerous to be kept on a leash. As the Elders had painfully found out, Schwarz was loyal only to itself. And this was when Schwarz themselves had not realised that they had been as easily manipulated into playing their role as they had so obviously set up Weiss in the Elders' downfall. Rothschild couldn't help but to smile at that; Schwarz had fallen for it hook, line and sinker. And in no small thanks to his precious witches, the Wyrd Twins.

As if reading his thoughts, a slender hand trailed its way down his cashmere-clad arm to rest over his hand. Gently squeezing the cool fingers, Rothschild turned to smile at the slight Oriental woman who flashed a coy smile at him. One half of the Twins, Michiko was as stunning an Asian beauty as described by popular literature. Pale porcelain and seemingly as fragile, Michiko had her raven black hair elegantly done up in the traditional Japanese style with a small curl resting teasingly at the nape of her neck. The deep red kimono she favoured moulded her graceful form and Rothschild knew that she was sensuality personified. How many times had men tripped over themselves to get the attention of the ebony-haired beauty. And she played that role well, as did her twin Majel. Speaking of whom appeared behind her twin. 

Where Michiko was dark; Majel was of a pale blonde, so pale as to be almost white. Like her Twin, she was gifted with beauty so ethereal that she was often compared to that of an angel. But unlike the heavenly counterpart, she was cold and cruel and her dealings with those who crossed her, vicious. She smiled at Rothschild as had Michiko, but her crystal blue gaze was icy and held all the warmth of an arctic winter. 

Despite this, Rothschild valued her as he did her Twin, for together these two formed an unbeatable team of sorceresses, capable of bringing about the downfall of most of the world's civilisations. Even now, they were helping him with his plans to utilise the massive powers of the Great Demon for his own ends. Soon with the information from Sato, all that would be within his grasp. Rothschild would be unstoppable and immortal to boot. '_Ah, life is sweet,'_ he thought to himself. Especially when everything would soon be his.

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Author's Notes: Ah, sorry for the somewhat short chapter. I promise to explain things out in greater detail along the way. A small confession would be that I want to keep changing things as I go along. Sometimes my muses just have a slight disagreement with one another. Oh, for Sanzo's almighty paper fan to smack them into some semblance of order. Things may also seem rather sloppily presented but as I said, I'm not terribly good at the 'technical' stuff. I know what I want but just have too much fun with the characters instead.

Okay, so who's the new cast member that remembers Aya's past? Nanami happens to be the real name of Tot and she's going to play a big role in future [covers ears at the horrified screams of anti-Tot fans]. Hey, give the girl a break! Having been given a bum-role in the show, the least I could do is give her a chance to be more than she can be. Besides, that fic 'Cerulean Phoenix' by Skandrae made me reflect a little deeper as to her new role and character. Yes, Tot's gonna become intelligent, clever, all the bricks stacked neatly and accounted for. [In due time, that is.]

And what about Sakura? Well, can't (or maybe won't) quite say as yet. I like underdeveloped characters simply because they can be moulded to fit the story a lot more easily than the more established characters. I love Weiss because of the whole angst, drama and let's be honest, sexy guys that populate the show. Yeah, I'm shallow… Never mind, I'll just quit yapping about this for now.

I didn't elaborate on Rothchild's appearance as much as I did that of the Twins. This is because I intend to do that in the later part of the story [likely in the next arc of the story]. I like the Wyrd Twins; they will play a greater role much later on. As soon as I whip my muses in shape, things should start moving along. The next chapter will also be a little short but with good reason. It's meant to be a history of sorts about the Hunter and where pivotal events will occur to start tying in the story more completely. Heh, shouldn't say more. Till then, any C&Cs will be bravely borne. Sore ja, mata!


	7. Dark Legend Revealed

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Thank you to: 

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Yue no Miko – Glad you like the Twins. They'll be starring in the next arc so I hope you'll stick around till then! 

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TerRa – I agree with you regarding OCs. They make good subjects as there is often so little said about them that it makes it a lot easier to mould them into a story. I didn't care about Aya-chan initially until this brainwave thunderbolted through my mind. As they say, the rest is history…

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Aeris – X / WK crossover? You know, maybe in some way I've been very subtly influenced. Been a melodramatic sucker for Apocalyptic stories anyway…

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RaTt – Wow! Didn't realise you snuck online to my fic instead of sweating for your exams. I feel truly honoured. Best of luck to your exam success!

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And for all of you who have been reading the story so far - Please let me know what you think about the story. I'm not begging or threatening for reviews but it'll help to know what you feel or think about it so far. Besides, motivation does make me work harder to please! ^__^

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Disclaimers: I don't own anything related to Weiss Kreuz. I wish I did so that I can retire happy. ::sighs:: Such a pity…

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Chapter 6: Dark Legend Revealed

It is said that in the chaos of Time, two distinct entities made their presence felt. Perhaps they could be simply labelled as the force of Good and the force of Evil. Whatever they may be, they serve to shape the universe into its current state of affairs. Two opposing forces; each serving to override the other yet at the same time forming a strange unity in keeping a balance. It may be argued that the force of Good would eventually triumph over that of Evil but that would be circumscribing to religious dogma. It does make it rather interesting though; the proverbial struggle of Good over Evil, however one wishes to look at it. But that was the way it started, and therefore not really relevant to what is happening now. Or is it?

It is through this perpetual conflict, that both forces choose to manifest themselves in various physical and even metaphysical forms to continue their struggle for dominance. The force of Evil opting for the darkness and fear to overpower that of Good which in turn choose to embody that of light and hope. On this plane however, the force of Evil chose to manifest itself as the Great Demon, harbinger of the prophetic Apocalypse. 

As for that of Good, the manifestation of its force was that of the Hunter and the spiritual Guardians to aid him or her. Good never chooses to define itself purely, it instead chooses those who are courageous enough to accept the fate cast upon them to fight on its behalf. This is why at times when that courage falters, the force of Evil is then able to corrupt it. Yet as it always is, the balance will then begin to tilt back and the endless struggle continues with the victories and losses on either side. And it is throughout this plane of existence the battle rages on.

For over a thousand years, the being known as the Great Demon slumbered within the place bound by the Four Seals. The knowledge of these Seals have been lost within the mists of human memory but they have been described as being that of the Sacred Beast gods representing the four directions – Genbu (North), Seiryuu (East), Suzaku (South) and Byakko (West). The previous battle that threatened the fate of all upon this world had been averted with serious casualties on the side of Good. The Demon remained sealed away yet even so its power persisted even in its greatly diminished form. 

Over the centuries, various foolish attempts to release it had been averted with much effort on that of the successive Hunters and their spiritual Guardians. No matter how secure the seals have been created, that which is of the raw power created from before the dawn of time could still leak through. It is this leaking power that draws those sworn to Evil to it, seducing and tempting them to free it from its current captivity. Even now, its power calls out throughout the world searching for one powerful enough to release it. And to that challenge, the Three Elders had responded.

The first attempt to shatter the seals failed when the Hunter and the Guardians had interfered in the Summoning ceremony. The seals were then reinforced through the sacrifice of one of the Guardians and the result was another fifty years of peace. Unfortunately for the Hunter, the three who started it managed to escape and had since then remained elusive. With the eventual passing of that Hunter, the successor had yet to appear. However, given the peace there had been little need for a successor. 

That is, until the Three returned to perform the ceremony once more. But the Hunter had not surfaced to disrupt the proceedings as before. Instead, two groups of individuals each serving their own needs brought about the final downfall of the Elders. It could be said that miracles do happen but at what cost? Even now, with the arrival of the new Hunter and her Guardians, it seems as though Evil is preparing itself for the final showdown. Will it be averted once more or will this time be the last stand for the force of Good on this plane of existence?

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Momoe-san leaned back into her seat as she tiredly rubbed the bridge of her nose. It had been difficult to relate the legend but there could be no reason to deny the newest Hunter the knowledge that was her destiny. Now came the difficult part - would Aya be able to accept this and learn to embrace her promised role or would she turn away from it? 

That was the problem when it came to such things, the choice made could either save the world or damn it. Momoe-san certainly hoped that Aya would save it. The alternative was too horrible to bear. Inwardly, she too hoped that the two groups would aid Aya in her new role. While Weiss would prove to be more willing given the ties that bind, Schwarz could be the biggest obstacle after Aya's decision. Momoe-san knew that the situation was approaching a crisis stage and that if all the necessary parties were not in place, all hell would literally break loose.

Aya kept her increasingly chaotic thoughts to herself as she listened to Momoe-san's narration. Things appeared to be overtaking her and Aya never felt lonelier than she did at this moment. The weight of the world seemed to be literally upon her shoulders and she did not know if she could handle it. '_Nii-san, I wish you were here!'_ her mind cried out. Aya felt her fists clench as she recalled all the once-exciting discoveries she had made since her awakening. 

Memories of her attempting near supernormal feats to the night of her first encounter with that creature flooded her mind, and she felt herself almost drowning with the full realisation of her current situation. She could not handle such a responsibility, could she? 

Aya had never had to worry too much about anything throughout her life, even from the time she had awakened from her coma. All that she had to worry about was overcoming the grief she still felt over the loss of her family, everything else having been taken care of by her late brother. That is, until this earth-shattering news. And all that Aya wanted to do was to scream at the injustice of it all.

"Aya-chan, are you alright?" Momoe-san asked gently, her eyes watching the now eerily silent girl. Aya looked ready to explode but whether in anger or hysterics, the old lady could not guess.

"Why me?"

Momoe-san took a deep breath at the strangely calm tone. Aya was walking an extremely fine line and Momoe-san had to come up with a good answer not to tip the girl over. Biting her lower lip, the old lady reached out to grasp the girl's icy hand. Jerking up at the warm contact, Aya finally looked her in the eye. It was now or never.

"You have always been special, Aya-chan. Your family knew it and your brother knew it too. That was why he continued living while you lay sleeping. Your well being was all he cared about, he knew you would make it even if he didn't. He protected you not only as a brother but also as the hope for the future. Without realising it, Ran sacrificed himself for your sake. He was more than your brother, Aya-chan; he was your Guardian as well. By ensuring your survival, he ensured his too. I don't really know how to explain this Aya-chan but I hope that you will believe me when I say that we need you. All of us."

"I-I don't know… I'm so confused," Aya replied, tears spilling from darkened eyes. 

'_Nii-san was my Guardian?'_ The thought kept chasing itself around in her mind.

"I know that it is too much for you to take right now, but I hope you'll understand that this is not an elaborate hoax we planned for you. There is a crisis approaching and we need to prepare for it. Last year when it happened during your coma, you were rescued through sheer luck of having your Guardians there to save you. This time however, you will have to be a part of it." Momoe-san said as she gently patted the girl's clutching hand. 

"Whatever you may feel or think Aya-chan, please remember this – you are _not_ alone. You now have us here for you. And when fate is willing, you will meet with those whose destinies are entwined with yours."

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A week later…

For the seventh consecutive night Aya stared at the ceiling, wide-eyed and troubled. Ever since Momoe-san's startling explanation of the Hunter's legend and all its attending mysteries, Aya had swung from near hysterics to bone-shaking fear. On several occasions, she wondered if she had gone mad and that it was all some strange hallucination brought about by eating expired cheesecake. But her greatest fear was that she was still trapped in her coma dream and there was no escape from it. No matter how she wanted to look at it, the fact remained that she was destined for the role of the Hunter. 

"Why me?" she whispered to the wispy shadows dancing by her window. "Why not Nii-san? Why not Sakura-chan? Why me?" This had become her new mantra. A part of her chided her for wishing this fate upon others but she did not care anymore. Events were overtaking her and she could not find the brakes to stop it. Sighing heavily, she turned over to look out the window. 

The moon was high in the sky, its silver-gold crescent struggling against the darkness pressing around it from all sides. It felt to Aya that she was like the moon then, fighting so hard to understand, let alone accept the plans Fate had laid out for her. Staring at it, Aya began to feel herself relaxing. Despite the moon's weak light, its glow remained, even from behind the few clouds that crossed it. And like the moon, Aya felt the loneliness of facing the world with no one but yourself to lean on. Momoe-san, Sakura-chan, Seki-san, and even once upon a time, her Nii-san may support and care for her but in the end, Aya had to survive on her own. Didn't she?

She loved the moon; its waning and waxing a metaphor for her life now. Her past was fading yet what few memories lingered bittersweet and true, and she would forever cherish them. But the future called out to her, a strange promise that was both threatening and exciting in its intensity. In spite of herself, Aya shivered at the primal call. She was the Hunter, it had been determined since her birth and she could never run away from it. Momoe-san had warned her of the choice she had to make. Aya closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, the answer she had to give finally releasing her from the pain and confusion that had smothered her for a week. Now secure in her decision, Aya was barely aware when sleep claimed her. 

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The next morning…

Gazing into the old woman's eyes, Aya felt the calm returning. She wasn't alone; she never was and in a way, never would be. There were her Guardians out there waiting to meet her and to join her in this coming battle; all she had to do was to find them and prove to them that she was worthy of their protection. A part of her began to stir in excitement, the thrill of the impending challenge awakening her Hunter's instincts. Maybe now she would be able to prove herself as being more than what she had once thought she was. 

Aya was no longer the weak girl she had believed herself to be. Her destiny was now laid out before her and all it needed was for her to take that first step on it. So what was there to hold her back? Even as she looked deep within herself, Aya knew that she had already accepted the role from before. All the fears and worries for the future would be dealt with in time but until then, she had to give her answer. Before that however, she had to offer a small prayer of thanks and to seek a blessing from her brother. Closing her eyes momentarily, she prayed.

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'Nii-san, I know I can be strong for your sake. I promise to make your sacrifice worthwhile and to follow the destiny I have been given. Please guide me wherever you may be. I love you so much.'

Opening her eyes once more, she noticed that Seki had appeared to stand by Momoe-san's shoulder. His clear green eyes seemed to glow in anticipation and hope, as did Momoe-san's. It was now or never. Taking a deep breath, Aya spoke the words that sealed her fate.

"Momoe-san, what do I have to do to become a Hunter?"

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Author's Notes: Finally completed this chapter. It feels as though I ripped off the explanation for the Demon from the Slayers. Heh, maybe on some subconscious level I did. As for the four Sacred Beasts thing, it is a perfectly legitimate and not something copied from Fushigi Yuugi blindly. Representing the four directions, I thought they would serve as a metaphor for the four corners of the world. Like I said earlier, I'm not all that good coming up with detailed things like this so I tried the best I could given the circumstances. I prefer to write character stories as opposed to explaining all the technical stuff that unfortunately seems necessary to give the story a little more credibility. [How we suffer for our art… ^^]

Although it's quite late into the story and I'm only beginning to start tying things together, I will be honest in saying that the story will not be moving as fast as it supposedly should. This is simply because I want to explore and build upon the characters' interactions with one another and the development of the overall story and characters. I'm a very particular writer as I've recently discovered. I guess it's because I want to write a fic that I would in fact enjoy reading. Btw, Action/Adventure is very loosely used here as I plan to focus more on Drama/Angst and some Supernatural. But I will definitely have a chapter dedicated purely to Action!

So, please drop a review to let me know what you think of the story thus far. Till the next chapter, ja ne! 


	8. Hunter's Moon

Many apologies for the late posting of this chapter. Since I've subscribed to ff.net's support services, I realised that a lot more people are actually reading this fic. ::sniffles:: I'm so happy!! 

Disclaimers: I own nothing here except the nasty monsters and assorted bad guys.

Thank you to:

Yue no Miko - Yours was the 20th review! Whee! Thank you for reviewing the chapters as they appear. Thanks for the advice. I try to keep things short and to the point but usually don't quite make it. Why? Because I like 'wordy' stories but dislike it in articles, factual stuff and thesis. Strange considering how I work as a proofreader and occasional editor.

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Larania – This chapter is especially for you since you said that you enjoy fight scenes. As for the reunion? Ahh, I'm still figuring out how to make it work out realistically. The tidbit about the 4 dwarves of Norse myth – better to be named after the four directions than after mood swings. [Catch my drift? *lol*]

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Little Red Dragon **& GeneWeiss**– So you have been following the story! Glad to hear from you again. I promise that things are going to get a lot more exciting from now on.

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RaTt – Now that I finally know whom you are, I'm hoping that we can eventually meet up. MACosplay at year's end? 

And to all who have been supporting this fic [vocal or otherwise], please enjoy the story.

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Warning: Contains scenes of nasty violence and some foul language. Also, it's a very long chapter so those with limited online time should save it to read at your own leisure. And by all means please log back on to drop me your review/comments/praise, etc. Yeah, me shut up now…^^;;

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Chapter 7: Hunter's Moon

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Three months later…

Chiba Prefecture, after midnight

The muffled screams of the dying man gurgled into silence as he fell to the ground of the dusty warehouse. Giving his bugnucks a quick shake, Ken managed to remove the excess bloody fluid before stepping back to take in his surroundings and prepare for another possible attack. Seeing Omi and Yoji finish off the remaining bodyguards, Ken looked around for Ran. A quick flicker of a dark shadow caught his attention and he tensed in readiness. 

Stepping out of the shadows, Ran flicked the blood off his blade before coolly sheathing it within its scabbard. Giving Ken a brief nod, the leader of Weiss quickly took in the scene before giving the order to move out. Omi and Yoji then prepared to set up the explosives to demolish the building. Sending Ken to keep a lookout in case of any possible escapees or reinforcements, Ran turned to help the other two with the explosives. Planting the explosive capsule and setting the timer took barely a minute and Ran turned to leave the final touches to Omi. It was at that moment that all hell seemed to break loose.

A loud howl seemed to fill and echo around the warehouse and the men jerked up at the horrible cry. Eyes flicked frantically around to spot the source vainly managed to pierce the gloomy interior. It did not help matters that it was the night of the new moon and light was feeble at best. Ken came racing in and skidded to a stop as he joined the others.

"Seems like somebody forgot to feed ol' Rover boy," Yoji joked half-heartedly, his eyes nervously scanning the darkness. "Anybody brought the puppy chow?"

"I don't think that sounded like a dog, Yoji-kun," Omi replied in a worried voice.

"Whatever it is, we take it out. Move towards the exit," Ran replied tersely as he edged backwards. "Are the charges set, Omi?"

"Hai."

"Hit the switch when we clear the perimeter. If it comes after us, kill it."

"I don't like this, Ran. Something's fishy," Ken muttered as he followed the others towards the exit. "It's like it's watching us, waiting."

As if in answer to the brunette's words, something moved towards the group, its form gaining shape as it entered into the pale light. Its eyes glowed red as it took in the four men gawking in shock and horror at it. Opening its mouth, it released another bloodcurdling howl to rattle the rafters.

"Oh shit…" Yoji choked out as he took in the unbelievable sight. 

"I thought all of Masafumi's creatures were destroyed!" Ken gasped aloud.

"Ahh…" Omi whispered in fear. "I think it can hear us."

At that moment, the strange creature leapt, forcing the four to instinctively scatter. Focusing its sight on Omi, it stalked the terrified young assassin. Releasing several of his darts, Omi managed to distract the creature long enough to scramble out of its way. Seeing an opening, Ran levelled a hard slash at its side before barely dodging a heavy blow aimed at his head. Howling in pain, the creature began its rampage by charging at the stunned Yoji and Ken. 

Quick reflexes allowed both to dodge the now clumsy beast and Yoji released his wire to entangle it. Ran took the opportunity to jab it through the throat while Ken attacked its rear with savage slashes of his bugnuks. Writhing in agony, the creature opened its mouth to cry out when Ran yanked his blade through its neck severing the head from its body. Suddenly, there was a strange muffled explosion and a choking cloud of dust descended about them. Of the creature there was no sign. Looking about themselves in confusion, the four men searched for the remains of the beast.

"It's gone!" Omi exclaimed, puzzled at its sudden disappearance.

"You don't think it just vanished into thin air, do you?" said Yoji voicing his suspicions. The shock was rapidly wearing off for the chestnut blonde and his mood was now darkening.

"But how?" Ken questioned, his eyes still searching the surrounding darkness with his bugnuks still drawn.

Ran narrowed his eyes as he took in the situation. What he had seen of that thing brought very unpleasant memories to the surface. Aya-chan's face flashed before him and he gritted his teeth. He knew that search as they might that creature was gone. It had disintegrated once it had been decapitated so there was no evidence of its existence. Calling out to the others, he gave the order to demolish the building after checking the fuses. Five minutes later, the building was rubble and they were heading home.

The ride was tense and the mood heavy. Each of them was lost within their own thoughts and none wanted to break that silence. Yoji drove through the dark streets, his eyes periodically glancing into the rear-view mirror for traffic but mostly to check on the two younger members curled in their respective seats. Ran was stiff and silent beside him, something about the weird creature having sparked some unpleasant memory. 

Yoji knew Ran best and guessed that it may be something to do with those periodic nightmares he had been having recently. That damn monster was certainly a prime candidate for the late night horror movie. Glancing into the rear-view mirror once more, he caught sight of Omi biting his lower lip and frowning worriedly. Deciding that it would be up to him to break the tense mood, Yoji spoke up.

"Hey Omittchi, what's bugging you? Don't tell me you're worried about that nasty gargoyle following you home, is it?" Yoji grinned as he looked at the young man in the mirror.

"Yoji-kun!" Omi protested his eyes widening in embarrassment at the older man's teasing. "I'm only wondering about what we should report back to Birman and Manx about this."

"Yeah, how do we explain this weird mutant thing that tried to eat us?" Ken asked sharply. 

The brunette was beginning to come to terms with what had happened and it was not improving his mood. All he wanted at this moment was a long hot shower and some cocoa before sleeping in till after ten. Thankfully, his shift was not till the afternoon. He really wanted to stay in bed.

"We will _not_ mention this to anyone."

Ran's stern tone cutting through the air effectively stunned the rest into a momentary silence. Omi's eyes widened and his mouth opened to protest when Ran turned around in his seat to glare at the sandy blonde. Swallowing the sudden lump in his throat, Omi managed a small nod before sinking back into the seat. Ran was even more foreboding than usual and it made everyone even more high-strung than they had been. 

Turning the thought over in his mind, Omi conceded to the fact that it would cause more questions to arise to which he had no answers to give. Surreptitiously glancing up, he could not help but wonder if Ran knew something more than what he let on. Even if he did, Omi had no intention of being the one to interrogate the formidable redhead. Inwardly sighing, he turned to stare out the window as he mentally began his report presentation for Manx.

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Two weeks later…

Outside Tokyo's industrial hub, after midnight 

Crawford tensed as he felt an overpowering vision sweep through him. Gripping the table's edge, he forced himself to breathe in deeply to calm himself down. Blinking to clear his eyes of the resultant blurring, he straightened up to see Schuldig frowning at him, the concern barely masked within his cool blue eyes. Farfarello was watching him intently, anticipation evident in his lean body. Across from him, the man known as Nagata watched the American, his interest sparked at what he had seen. Schwarz had never advertised their abilities, but somehow word had spread of the American's uncanny abilities in predicting outcomes. And Nagata was now curious of those 'outcomes'.

Catching Crawford's eye, he gave a small polite smile – his subtle hint that informing him of it would be a beneficial thing for the health of all concerned, especially that of Schwarz. Grimacing inwardly, Crawford projected his thoughts at Schuldig to be ready for any trouble while he handled the greasy kingpin. He accepted the instructions, any hint of the telepathic connection masked by the redhead indifferent façade. Settling down, Crawford returned Nagata's smile with one of his own.

"Please excuse my sudden inattention, Mr Nagata," Crawford began. "I've not been feeling too well recently."

"Perhaps you have been working too hard, Crawford-san. It is often said that you put in much effort in all your endeavours. And that it has shown to be most profitable for you and your companions." 

Crawford could hear the mental sniggering of the German telepath in his head. Forcing a light smile to his face, he acknowledged the remark with a small bow of his head. The tension he was feeling heightened as he could sense time slipping and the threat he had earlier envisioned approaching. Pushing the contract towards Nagata's personal assistant, Crawford mentally warned Schuldig of the time. 

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'What the hell are we expecting Crawford?' Schuldig demanded, eyes flicking towards the brunette. '_Farf's getting edgy and is pestering me about what you saw.'_

Crawford kept his face impassive as his gaze focused on the contract Nagata was going through. '_I'm expecting all hell to break loose, Schuldig. And by that I mean almost literally.'_

Crawford then sent a mental picture of what he had seen earlier. He felt the telepath's recoil at the image he received. 

The sudden silence in his mind indicated to Crawford that Schuldig was mentally processing what he had just revealed. Farfarello was beginning to twitch and Crawford knew that the suspense was beginning to push the berserker's buttons. 

'_Calm Farfarello down Schuldig, before he gets us into deeper trouble than what I predict will happen.'_ He soon felt Farfarello relaxing slightly as the telepath relayed the information to the white-haired Irishman. 

Curiously, the berserker took the news as matter of fact. But Crawford had other things to worry about than that of the Irishman's odd reaction. He felt Schuldig stiffening before shifting slightly into a ready stance. Farfarello did the same and Crawford allowed the two to bear the initial brunt of the attack that was rapidly approaching. Outside, distant screams began and gunfire sounded. Nagata heard it as well and his face scrunched up into an angry mask.

"What is happening outside?" he barked out before turning his glare to Crawford. "Crawford-san, what is the meaning of this?"

"I assure you Mr Nagata that it has nothing to do with me. My colleagues are with me and I do not stoop to such tactics to get what I want," Crawford responded coldly.

At that moment, the door burst open and a bodyguard fell into the room his face bloody and his mouth open in a silent scream. The man was dead even before he hit the ground. Schuldig cursed in German as he side-stepped the corpse and pulled out his gun from its concealed holster. Farfarello released the switch on his knife and the sharp blade sprang out with a sharp hiss. There was an almost feral glow in his single amber eye as he waited for it to arrive. Crawford had drawn his gun and now stood his attention focused on the coming action. Within seconds, it arrived.

Nagata screamed in a high-pitched voice as he ducked behind his bodyguards. Schuldig and Crawford backed away as they took in the grotesque thing that swivelled its head about slowly. Its jaws dripped with the blood of its earlier victims, while glowing red irises took in its new surroundings. 

"The damn thing's even uglier than what you showed me, Crawford!" Schuldig muttered as he edged away from it.

"It has come to hurt God," Farfarello murmured in almost awed tones. Crawford and Schuldig aimed dirty looks at the almost blissful berserker.

"Goddammit! Farf's having a fucking epiphany," Schuldig swore as the creature moved further into the room. It ignored the Irishman choosing instead to focus its attention on the Schwarz duo. The black scales rippled in the light as it stalked them, the bullets fired barely grazing it. 

"Farf! Get your damn ass over here! We need your help!" Schuldig yelled as he ducked a vicious swipe of a clawed hand. Crawford fared better, his pre-cognitive talent enhancing his fighting skills. Slamming a punch into the monster's side, Crawford grunted in pain as he felt the shock waves travel up his arm. It felt as though he had hit a brick wall rather than that of flesh. Nagata was yelling something to his bodyguards and Crawford hit the floor as a hail of bullets flew overhead towards the creature. 

Schuldig had also joined him on the floor and they both managed to crawl hurriedly towards the door as the barrage of automatic gunfire carried on overhead. Schuldig grabbed hold of the mesmerised Farfarello and was half-dragging and half-shoving him down the corridor. Crawford followed close behind, his head turning back now and then to make sure that there was no pursuit. He cursed inwardly at the vision's flawed detail. If he had known that it would be bulletproof, he would have braved Nagata's men than face off against that thing. For the first time in his life, Crawford began to taste fear.

Dashing down the corridor, the three men stopped as they took in the gruesome scene before them. Apparently the monster had brought a few of his buddies along for a night out. Schuldig sucked in his breath with a hiss and stepped back almost trampling on Crawford's toes.

"Bloody fucking hell!" he swore under his breath. Farfarello stared at the three new demonic creatures before lightly running his tongue over the blade of his knife. His sole amber eye took in the view and before Crawford could grab him, he had launched himself at them. Schuldig stood momentarily shocked at the Irishman's daring charge before he started to frantically load a new clip into his gun. 

Hoping against hope, the two remaining psychics joined their now berserk partner in his deadly dance of death. Crawford managed several shots with precision into the nearest creature's head and was vaguely surprised and satisfied when it vanished into a cloud of dust. 

Yelling at Schuldig to do the same, he dodged the second creature's swipe while quickly loading another round of ammunition. He heard a loud thump as Farfarello was slammed against a wall but barely paid him any attention. He knew the man would simply pick himself up before throwing himself back into the fray. Schuldig on the other hand, was not as immune. Even as he managed to avoid the creature's attempts to claw him, the speed at which he was battling against seemed only to increase with each passing moment. 

Even as Crawford took aim, an unfortunate miscalculation on Schuldig's part resulted in a mind-numbingly painful blow to his ribs. He felt a couple of them crack further when the force sent him slamming into a concrete pillar. Slumping to the ground, his vision grew hazy as his abused lungs struggled to pull in air. Crawford had fired several rounds but it barely resulted in anything. A part of Schuldig watched with detached interest, his mind automatically blocking off the agonising pain. The fight was now two against two.

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Farfarello was on a high as he attacked the creature. After seeing the first one, his mind had pictured the vision of the Great Beast that was foretold in the Book of Revelations. He had no idea it could be so beautiful in its utter debasement of a humanoid life form. But after being dragged out of the meeting room by Schuldig, he started to think about it and it began to anger him. That thing may have been sent to bring about the downfall of the world but where would that leave him? Farfarello gave in to the feeling of jealousy. The thing had come to hurt God; it was unforgivable. Because, it was Farfarello's mission in life to achieve that goal, not that of some interfering demonic spawn. 

When he saw the other three, he snapped. Nothing was to stand in his way, even if he had to challenge Hell itself to fulfil his goal. Needless to say, he had every intention of sending them back where they came from. Weaving and slashing, he blurred around his target trying to kill it before it got him. But despite his best efforts, his knife barely caused anything more than shallow cuts that swiftly healed over as soon as they were made.

For Crawford, his idea of a horrible day paled greatly in comparison to what he was currently experiencing. His idea of fighting monsters involved slimy underworld kingpins and drug lords. Those were the monsters he had to deal with, not these grotesque parodies of Masafumi's creations. Apparently, he had been lucky with the first one; the second one was too damned tenacious. He could feel himself tiring and he knew that Schuldig was out of the fight given his serious injuries. For the first time in his life, Crawford began to pray for a miracle. If he had to die, he could think of a hundred and one more pleasant ways to shuffle of this mortal coil. 

Ducking under the claws aimed at his head, he delivered a hard blow to its exposed side. Thankfully, it was softer than the previous one and his fist stoically bore the sharp discomfort. The thing stumbled back a couple of feet before righting itself and Crawford cursed inwardly. At this rate, none of them would survive. 

'_Should have_ _brought Nagi!' _his mind screamed but it did little good. 

The teenager was over thirty miles away and even if Schuldig managed to telepathically contact him, it would still be too late. It seemed to Crawford that Schwarz's luck had run out. To further emphasise it, the earlier creature turned up. Crawford's heart sank as he saw it and wondered if there was any hope they would survive this night.

Seeing Farfarello being grabbed by the black monster from earlier, Crawford thought of escaping. It was pointless to stay and fight and although the losses would be great, he tried to justify it. There was no point in sacrificing everybody for the sake of the group; it had never been Schwarz's intention from the beginning. Cut your losses before you damn it all. They all knew it and while it had never been followed through, there was always a first time for everything. 

He could see Schuldig out of the corner of his eye and the resigned look that passed over the man's face. It did not take a telepath to know what he was contemplating. A small smirk curled his lips as Schuldig leaned back in a now calm acceptance of his fate. 

'_Make sure you get my revenge on the bastard that created this mess, Crawford'_ he called out weakly. '_If you don't, I'll come back and haunt you.'_

Crawford chanced a final look at his fallen comrades and made a move to escape. Before he got ten feet however, he drew up short at what he saw in the shadows. 

A silver gleam danced off a sharp sword as the person moved in. For a moment, he thought that Weiss had come to take out Nagata and wondered if he could use their distraction to his advantage. But the figure that stepped out was considerably shorter and slighter in stature. Dressed in black, he looked like a ninja. Only the two neat braids by the sides of the head gave away the fact that she was female. Crawford blinked as she moved past him in a blur of speed. Turning round, he saw her engage the monster he had been fighting. 

Watching her deftly wield the blade, he could not help but to compare her to the Weiss assassin Abyssinian. Before the monster managed to redirect its attention, she had angled her blade upwards and decapitated it in one smooth motion. Like what had happened to the one he had shot, it disintegrated. With barely a pause, she made her way to the other two and swiftly disposed of them in a similar manner. Despite his shock, Crawford had to admire her abilities. In fact, he was beginning to wonder if he should recruit her into Schwarz, the uncharacteristic feeling of generosity welling within him.

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'Quite the little samurai, ain't she?' Schuldig projected his thoughts to a stunned Crawford. '_Reminds me of_ _another Weiss kitty with a knack for handling sharp swords.'_

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'She seems to know how to destroy these creatures so I don't think she was the one who sent them. But she may know who did,' Crawford retorted as he recovered from the earlier shock.

'Ah,' Schuldig replied. '_It seems that my knight in shining armour is in fact a pretty ninja miss. If I wasn't so busted up, I would probably get her to accept my offer of thanks,'_ he concluded.

Crawford felt himself frowning at the leer in the telepath's thoughts. It made sense that one would want to savour life even more after being led to death's door and having the buzzer pressed loudly, but the last thing Crawford wanted was to chase off the only lead they had in this attack. As he thought about it, he forced himself to swallow the anger that was now rising to the surface. 

Slowly moving towards the girl, he made sure that she saw his intentions clearly. If she could take out those things within a minute, she could do the same to him. Crawford was too exhausted from the fight to want to antagonise a potential foe. Besides, he was also out of bullets. Standing before her, he bowed his head slightly in a gesture of truce before speaking.

"I wish to thank you for your help, Miss…?" he began hoping she would take the hint and offer her name.

Sheathing her blade, the girl cocked her head to one side as if thinking about his unspoken question. The mask she wore gave her an anonymity she was still not ready to relinquish. Smiling to herself, she bowed in return.

"I see that you are not as hurt as your companions, Mr…?" she replied, throwing the question back at him.

She heard a muffled chuckle before it abruptly turned into a choking fit. Looking past Crawford's stiff frame, she could see the flame-haired man's discomfort. She moved past Crawford and kneeled by the suddenly attentive redhead. Reaching down, she brushed aside his heavy bangs searching for any head injury before running her hands against his chest to check for any broken ribs. Schuldig grunted when her hands found the exceptionally sore area and reflexively grabbed her hands within his.

"Easy liebchen, you wouldn't want to bruise the merchandise any more than it already is, would you?" he grinned at her, blue eyes hooded in pain.

"I'm sorry."

"Not as sorry as me," Schuldig replied ruefully while still holding onto the slender hands. Focusing his power, he tried to probe her mind but came up against a wall. It seemed that his black-clad angel of mercy knew how to protect herself from curious mind readers. Sensing Crawford's impatient thoughts, he shot back his reply. In response, Crawford turned on his heel to check on Farfarello. Returning his attentions to his new interest, Schuldig was disappointed to find that she had managed to wriggle her hands from his grasp. 

However, he smiled once more when she asked him to place his arm around her neck. Thinking that she was going to support him as they left the building, Schuldig was not prepared for what happened next. Once the man had positioned himself to her liking, she scooped him up easily into her arms much like Prince Charming did to Snow White. The German yelped and clutched at her, his pain momentarily forgotten in his shock. Easily carrying him as though he were a child, she walked up to a wide-eyed Crawford and intrigued Farfarello.

"You might want to send them to the hospital, mister," she said to Crawford as the man in her arms twitched at the embarrassing position he was in. "You might want to keep still. You wouldn't want me to drop you now, would you?" she continued now addressing the squirming redhead who then stilled at her words. "Good boy."

Schuldig's eyes goggled as he tried to process the situation he was in. Cute girls did _not_ go round carrying handsome guys in their arms; on the contrary, he should be carrying her, right? 

'_Riiight,'_ his inner self replied sarcastically. 

Today really wasn't his day. But never let it be said that he let any opportunity slip by, especially where cute females are concerned. Well, any cute masked females with exceptional strength and wielding a mean blade that is… Barely a minute later, Schuldig was out like a light. 

Crawford helped a limping Farfarello with the girl carrying the unconscious Schuldig following behind. He was annoyed that she had not revealed anything about herself but at the same time was intrigued at her abilities. He hoped that their paths would cross once more but under different circumstances - _very_ different circumstances. 

Having reached the car, he got Farfarello in before opening the rear passenger door to let the telepath and her in. She shook her head at his unspoken offer of a ride and arranged the redhead inside comfortably before stepping back. Looking up at the taller man, she extended her hand in a friendly handshake. Grasping her small hand within his larger one, Crawford gave it a brief shake as his mind processed the gesture.

"Is there no way you could tell me your name, Miss? It would make the introduction a little more complete."

She paused for a moment before seeming to smile at him. Crawford wondered at it for a moment before she responded.

"I am known as the Hunter. That is all you need to know for now, Crawford-san."

Stepping back into the shadows she had earlier appeared from, she left a stunned pre-cog scrambling to discover how she knew his name.

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Author's Notes: Phew! A super long chapter with lots of action. Since I've been lazy with exciting chapters, I've decided to go all out on this. Why is it Weiss had it easier than Schwarz? Heh, heh, I wanted to torture them, that's why. Actually, the time scale is different. The demons are stronger now than before. Weiss had their first encounter earlier than Schwarz so the nasty things were weaker. Time is moving along so the arrival of the Hunter is necessary. I know I've been very bad in not saying how the Hunter appeared but really, it's meant to be in a separate story Just need to sit down and do it.

Farfarello's response to the arrival of the monsters was very difficult to write. In the end, I think I opted for the slightly twisted humour that seems to characterise the berserker. Besides, I think given Farf's oddball charm it could actually fit in. Can't you picture him being rather protective of his 'right' to be the one to hurt God? I think I was actually laughing as I typed out that part. I seem to enjoy Schwarz torture a little too much. Uh oh, don't wanna think about my karma with regards to them. *lol* 

If I were to study German, it'll be my fifth language… I think I'll pass on that. I **would **however like to thank Bj./ShadowAndromedar for the really informative Weiss Kreuz German Dictionary I found on ff.net. Very helpful in spelling [with an English keyboard] and the general use of various *cough* interesting words. 

However, I just used one – **liebchen** [my lovely]. 

I couldn't decide between that and **schaetzchen** [my sweet, darling, honey, etc] but figured with the complex spelling, I would rather take the easy way out. ^___^

Am I planning something between Schu-schu and the Hunter? Heh, that remains to be seen. I've been messing around with WK so much that I think another crime may be committed. The next chapter will be shorter. It'll serve as an interim to the climax as this arc draws to a close. Anyway, let me know if you liked the story. [No, I don't want to know if you hate it, my poor ego would be crushed. I am that sensitive .;;] Till the next chapter, enjoy!

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	9. Darkness Falling

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Disclaimers: I don't own anything related to Weiss Kreuz directly. Only the Baron and his posse. Oh, and my thoughts on this fic. 

Wow! I had over 340 hits for this fic – even if 100 of them stopped after the Prologue...

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Thank you to:

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Larania – Yours was the first review with regards to Chapter 7. And so prompt too! It made me so happy!! So you want more Hunter kicks butt chapters, eh? Well, I'll do my best to fulfil your request. Btw, are you the same Larania at mediaminer.org? I don't have your email so I can't personally thank you…

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Yue no Miko – The 2nd review came from you. Thanks for reviewing the chapters as they appear, they really make my day. So you want to see more of the Twins? Well, they appear here. I do intend to dedicate later chapters to them, so please hang on till then!

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Aeris – Thanks for your review! Yup, Aya-chan can kick butt cos she's da Hunter! Someone has to look after the boys so that they won't end up too badly bruised. As to whether I intend to continue, I think I need some reminders about that. ^__^ v

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Angelicaya – I'm very glad you love this story [what's there of it, that is]. I've actually written a lot, but I need time to proofread and edit them. I doubt the raw chapters would go down well, I myself cringe at the horrible grammar. As to a possible Schu/Hunter thing, let's just say I'm keeping my options very, VERY open. Btw, ever read 'Scarlet Ribbons' by Jessi Albano? A very well written SxA-chan fic. 

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Satar – Thanks for your review! I hope the next few chapters keep your interest going.

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Chapter 8: Darkness Falling

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Three days later…

Narita International Airport, Tokyo 

The Baron's tall regal figure cut through the crowd as he cleared immigration. The custom's officer quietly took in the dark blue hair, clear hazel eyes and mature chiselled features as he ran through the routine questions. The man had taste, a dark blue suit from some high-class Italian designer with expensive leather shoes to match. He did not look like he was here on business but rather for some diplomatic reason. Only the lack of such papers indicated otherwise. 

The man was certainly intriguing. He stood patiently, as though allowing the officer time to take him in. He did not let any irritation or annoyance creep into his speech as he politely thanked him before he picking up his briefcase. As the Baron passed him by, the officer turned to the next in line and promptly forgot the previous passenger. Michiko gave him a slow sultry smile and for the rest of his shift, the customs officer remembered little else.

As he patiently waited for his companions to clear customs, Rothschild reflected on Sato's message. It appeared that the Hunter was now actively purging the city of the demons and on her last encounter had introduced her to three of the members of Schwarz. For the group's resident telepath, his meeting with her had been unfortunately marred by his 'accident'. Well, there would no doubt be further opportunities along the way. As Michiko and Majel joined him, the small group made their way to the Arrival Hall for their pick-up. 

Michiko tucked her arm about Rothschild and he allowed her the familiarity. Majel seemed to ignore the activity about her, focusing instead on some inner thought. The Baron respected her need for quiet. Majel was very focused in her purpose. It was not wise to disturb her when she was not ready to share. Majel may seem cool and calm but she was a fiery banshee when provoked. Besides, if he guessed correctly, Majel was interpreting the visions she had seen some three nights ago. The very same ones that Sato had informed him about.

Heading out through the automatic doors, they saw a limousine pull up and a hulking giant of a man climb out of the driver's seat. Bowing low in deference to them, he then proceeded to open the rear door for them. Once they had settled themselves within, he closed the door and returned to the driver's seat. Pulling away from the curb, he pressed the internal intercom to get his passengers' attention.

"My name is Kanta, Baron Rothschild," he intoned in a deep voice. "Mr Sato has sent me to pick you up and to take you to your place of residence before he will join you there. He is currently preparing his report and will present it to you this evening."

"Thank you, Kanta," Rothschild replied. "Please inform Sato that I will await his arrival at the mansion." Flicking off the intercom's switch, Rothschild settled into the plush leather interior of the limousine to enjoy the scenic drive.

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Late afternoon…

Koneko no Sumu Ie, Tokyo

Aya tenderly fixed the last bloom in place before leaning back to admire the arrangement. The soft pink roses and snowy baby's breath made a lovely contrast and Aya was almost sad to have to part with it. She heard the bell above the door ring and looked up at the customer who made his way into her shop.

"The bouquet is ready, Sato-san," Aya smiled at the stout Japanese businessman. "I'll just wrap it up and key in the amount for you."

"Thank you very much, Aya-san," Sato replied with a benign smile as he took out his wallet. "It looks very beautiful. You certainly have a gift for flower arrangement."

"I'm glad you like it. The roses were the last ones available. I always seem to underestimate their appeal," Aya smiled as she efficiently wrapped up the flowers. After giving it a final check, she keyed the amount into the cash register. "That'll be ¥3300 including tax, Sato-san."

"Keep the change, Aya-san" he said as he handed her a ¥5000 note. Scooping up the proffered bouquet he calmly walked out, leaving the startled girl holding the banknote. As he stepped off the curb, a dark blue saloon pulled up and he got into the back.

"Take me to the mansion, Kanta. The Baron is no doubt expecting me." Glancing down at the neatly presented flowers, he couldn't help smiling slightly. The young Hunter had exceptional taste.

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Schwarz apartment

Schuldig had drifted between consciousness and unconsciousness, the drugs in his system numbing the pain of his injuries. Crawford had seen to it that he was kept in an isolated room where the hustle and bustle of life outside could not penetrate its thick walls. Schuldig's injuries were too serious to be taken lightly and Crawford had no intention of accidentally exposing him to any possible external threats. Not that Schuldig had a chance to voice his objections, he was too out of it to care. 

Periodically, either Crawford or Nagi would come in to check on him and dose him up with the necessary medication. Farfarello was currently locked up in his cell, his thoughts of the incident kept only to himself. Since neither Crawford nor Nagi wanted to be near him, Farfarello spent most of his time with his assorted knives, the one stipulation being that he did not cut himself up too much.

For Nagi, the entire incident worried him. For Schwarz to be taken down in such a fashion was almost beyond his comprehension. Schwarz was invincible – a pre-cog, a telepath, a telekinetic and a berserker who feels no pain – how could they be defeated? Granted he hadn't been there to witness the situation for himself but still, Schwarz should have managed to escape without incurring such serious injuries. 

Another piece to the puzzle was the strange female that showed up in the nick of time to rescue them. To Nagi, it seemed like a cliched fairytale he'd once read about where the hero comes to save the day and rescue the damsel in distress. He snorted at the thought and levitated the medicine tray while tapping on Schuldig's door before entering.

"Hello, Nagi," the German's voice rasped out. "Come to soothe my aches and pains?"

"I didn't think you'd be awake Schuldig," Nagi replied as he gently placed the tray by the bedside table. "How are you feeling?"

"Like having three dozen Takatoris practising their golfswings on me," he smirked weakly.

"At least you've retained your sense of humour," Nagi replied, a trace of relief seeping into his voice. "Crawford would be glad to know you're coming along."

"And all thanks to that dark angel of mine," Schuldig murmured softly, his blue eyes misting slightly at the memory. "I wonder what she's like?"

"What happened, Schuldig?" Nagi asked, making use of the opportunity to get the story from the telepath while he was still lucid. 

Crawford never did give him more than sketchy details and Farfarello was off on one of his psychotic jaunts through his own private hell to give him a coherent answer. That left the telepath and Nagi knew that Schuldig rarely minded providing him the details that Crawford would conveniently leave out. That was what Nagi liked about Schuldig, if like was a word he had to use to describe it. 

Schuldig gave him a little more respect even if he did at times tease him for being a kid. When it came to business, Schuldig gave him his due and rarely found fault with him. Nagi knew that like Crawford, Schuldig valued his contribution to the group. That was why remaining with Schwarz still had its appeal. With the exclusion of Farfarello, Nagi could get along with those who mattered in the group. He belonged with them.

"Damn devils they were, Nagi-kins," Schuldig began, his voice hardening as his eyes flashed blue fire. "Crawford forgot to mention that they were pretty much bulletproof as well."

"Devils? They were the ones that hurt you?"

"Ah… Black as pitch and nasty looking to boot. Certainly made Farf's day though, crazed Irish bastard," Schuldig spat out as the unpleasant memory replayed in his mind. His eyes glittered with anger as he turned to face a wide-eyed Nagi. "It was the closest I've ever been to hell, Nagi. It's certainly not something I ever want to repeat. I'd give it to Farf instead," he continued now looking off towards the far wall.

"You mentioned someone coming to the rescue, Schuldig. Any idea who?" Nagi pressed on with the questions. Schuldig was fairly talkative despite his injuries and Nagi hoped he would provide him with more information to work with. Briefly, he wondered why Crawford had been so evasive with the details.

"It's his way of dealing with the issue, Nagi," Schuldig replied, answering the teenager's thoughts. "In a way, he blames himself for what happened that night. If he had known, we'd have left without saying goodnight to that Nagata fellow."

"But it's not his fault, Schuldig. How could he have known about it so far in advance? Crawford's good, but even he has his limitations. Especially with the dreams he's been having," Nagi's voice fell after the last sentence. "What is going on, Schuldig? This is getting really weird and dangerous. I've never known any of us to be so seriously hurt except for Farfarello, and it's beginning to worry me. Crawford seems to be the only one who has some idea about what's happening but he's being all uptight about it and not telling any of us of it. Frankly speaking, I'm getting rather fed-up with all this cloak-and-dagger nonsense!"

Schuldig winced at the mental wave of frustration pouring out from the young telekinetic before managing to block off the emotions. Nagi was rarely emotional and the last time he had had a major outburst was from the Tot incident. Thankfully, Schuldig had been prepared for it but still the overflow from it had strained his mental shields to breaking point. It had been largely the distance from it that settled and allowed him to mentally stabilise himself again. But now, given his current state of health Schuldig was just barely strong enough to bear with the jarring thought waves.

"Nagi, please calm down. You're giving me a headache," Schuldig pleaded with the still agitated teenager. "I'm sure Crawford has his reasons, it's just that he's not ready to share them yet. You know how he works, until there is something to be shared, he'll just keep it to himself."

Nagi sighed at Schuldig's words before bowing his head in apology. Peeking through his lashes, he saw the redhead give a small smirk and relax. Despite his mind games, Nagi knew that the telepath rarely intruded on his team's thoughts unless it was necessary. With Crawford, they were partners; with Nagi he was a secondary mentor and the one who helped calm his rare alarming outbursts. 

After Tot's death, Nagi had been inconsolable and Schuldig had had to handle the situation. Through good-natured advice and most likely a substantial amount of mental tweaking, he had managed to bring the teenager round. While Nagi owed his loyalty and devotion to Crawford for rescuing him, Schuldig owned his soul. 

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Weiss HQ, Chiba Prefecture

Ran barely focused on the folder's documents before him. Manx was briefing them on their latest mission but the redheaded leader was very distracted. Since that strange incident some weeks back, his dreams had taken more form. This time, Aya was less of a target but she was still trying to fight off the monsters. After what he had seen, there was no doubt that something serious was going down and that Aya was somehow involved. He recalled the day after the incident his need to return to his sister when Yoji walked in with Manx. 

She had promptly declared that Kritiker had reassigned them back to Tokyo to take care of some 'disturbances'. She didn't elaborate but Ran could read it between the lines. No doubt that what they had witnessed was now beginning to make its presence felt. The guys had quickly packed up and moved out of their barely lived-in condo into an apartment building halfway across the city where Aya lived. Manx had intended for the charade to continue. Aya had no need to know of her brother surviving the incident. A small part of Ran appreciated it but a greater part of him chafed at the thought of not seeing her.

"Abyssinian!"

Blinking at the abrupt command, he looked up into Manx's annoyed eyes. He then realised that she was now standing right in front of him. He had really been out of it to not notice her approach. Omi and Ken were looking on curiously at Ran's preoccupation. Yoji was grinning in the corner, his jade eyes twinkling at the humour he apparently found in the situation.

"Looks like someone was not paying attention in class, eh sensei?" he teased. His grin widened further as both Manx and Ran turned to glare daggers at him.

"Have you heard a single word I've said, Abyssinian?" Manx asked sharply. She was getting rather frustrated with the team members for the past couple of weeks. She could smell the conspiracy they carried around with them but they refused to tell her anything. Neither Omi nor Ken wanted to divulge any information and these two were usually the first to crack under pressure. 

She never bothered with either Yoji or Ran as they would simply joke it off in the case of Yoji, or glare back in stony silence like Ran. Damn, but it was frustrating. Short of bugging the place, she had no other way to find out what was going on. The primary reason that they had been reassigned to Tokyo was because of Ran. He was starting to lose his focus. Yoji had once told her in no uncertain terms that their team was facing a crisis and that if she did not do something about it, there would be no Weiss to boss around. And so she had agreed but with conditions attached.

Conditions which Manx felt were being actively challenged by the stoic leader.

"What's going on, Abyssinian?" Manx pressed, her voice low – almost dangerous in its intensity. 

Omi and Ken unconsciously held their breath at the sudden rise in tension and Yoji straightened frowning, his humour evaporating quickly. Ran looked calmly into Manx's eyes, his lips thinning in response to the question. Manx narrowed her eyes further and Ran had to make a decision. As much as he knew he could match Manx stare for stare, it would not be in his best interest. Nor in Weiss'. All he had to do now was to give Manx a reason she would accept and leave him alone. 

Manx could see the flicker of his thoughts reflecting within the amethyst depths. She hated having to pressure her favourite group but after Yoji's demands and reasons to move back to Tokyo, she had kept a closer eye on her charges. It would not pay to have any one of them endangering themselves or the others in the line of duty because of some unresolved personal issues. 

And of the four of them, Ran seemed to be the one she had least expected to be troubled. But then again, Ran's reasons for remaining with Kritiker were the weakest given his sister's full recovery. And for the millionth time, Manx wondered as to how long she could hold on to him before he slipped away forever.

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Author's Notes: Hmm, shorter than I had originally planned but given the length of the previous chapter, my fingers and wrists needed the break. Anyway, this chapter is another interlude of sorts similar to Chapter 5. I've introduced the Baron and his posse a little more as well as inserted in my take on Schu's and Nagi's 'relationship'. I've always thought of Schu being a little bit of an elder brother to Nagi as opposed to Crawford's more parental role. As to Schu being pissed off with Farfie, well, the guy did seem to enjoy himself while our dear mind reader got his ass kicked. *lol*

Hmm, so who is Sato-san and what's his purpose in the greater scheme of things? I'll tell you a secret – I don't know… ::scratches back of head and laughs sheepishly::. Well, I do have an idea of what his role is but I've yet to work out the mechanics of it all into the overall plot. I think most of you who actually bother to read my thoughts on writing the various chapters are aware that I've planned this story in a multi-arc sequence. I hope that Part II would be as good as or even better than the first. So you guys have to encourage me!

Now the grovelling for reviews. Oi! Except for a few of you [see Thank You to: above], I have no idea what you guys are thinking of about this fic. Even a simple, "Gosh, Schu got his a** kicked! Cool!" or "I like where this is going." would be nice. At least I know that people actually tell me they have some thoughts on the story.

And until the next chapter, tell me how much you want me to continue. I want the attention – honestly! Ja mata ne! 


	10. A Malevolent Omen

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Disclaimers: I've just filled in the "I would like to own everything related to Weiss Kreuz" claims form. However, until accepted I'm simply borrowing them for non-profit purposes. Darn!

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Thank you to:

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Larania – I absolutely adore you for being so quick to review each chapter that appears. You deserve a whole fic dedicated to you! If nothing else, I'll do my best to complete the entire series without bailing out halfway. As to your questions – hmm, I'll have to get back to you on that.

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arAshi – You like my fic and think that it's cool? You have succeeded in pumping my ego up! I try to be different as I would like to see the minor characters get a share of the spotlight. And as to when Weiss & Schwarz discover the Hunter's identity? Hee, hee, not for awhile yet. But I hope to make it good though.

And to all the 600+ readers who ventured within – thank you! But I would like to thank you personally too. *hint, hint* 

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Chapter 9: A Malevolent Omen

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Abandoned Tokyo warehouse on the city outskirts 

After midnight.

The crescent moon peeked through the thick clouds as they scudded across the midnight sky. The air was thick and heavy as the approaching storm seemed to blanket the city. The lonely warehouses clustered together in the deep gloom appeared almost skeletal in the weak moonlight. It seemed to be a night of expectation. Inside one of them, a faint light barely penetrated the thick, dust-encrusted glass. It was the only hint of the life within its hollow walls.

Hirota and Takayama were not on the best of terms but with the underworld in a state of chaos after Nigata's unusual demise a month back, they had agreed to put their differences aside in order to carve up a sizeable share of the now free territory. The problem now was in deciding how much of the highly profitable Shinjuku area each of them would receive. Needless to say, neither was willing to let the other gain a marginally larger share of the proverbial pie.

Crawford stood quietly by Hirota's side while Schuldig settled himself near Takayama. Crawford had managed to put the word out with help from Schuldig that Nigata's death had been the result of Weiss' actions. And since Weiss was not around to claim otherwise, the remaining underworld lords took it as the truth. Besides, word on the street was that Weiss had returned and aside from Nigata, the Kyushu brothers' drug ring had recently been destroyed completely. 

That was why Schwarz got the good jobs now - few people had managed to survive Weiss' attacks save them. Besides, they usually managed to save the hides of the top dogs before Weiss managed to get to them. However, it was costly to employ Schwarz full time. Even the GNP of a small third-world nation could barely afford a week's protection from them. Therefore, Schwarz was the 'special' service provided at very important meetings where nothing must go wrong. In this case, both Hirota and Takayama had agreed to split the cost of employing Schwarz to ensure Weiss didn't interfere and more importantly, neither attempted to backstab the other.

Their respective accountants were busy with the data collection and the preparation of the final report for both men. Each side double-checked the other so as to ensure complete transparency in the accounting. Nagi sat with them and made sure that things were handled properly. Farfarello prowled along the shadows, his unnatural grace unnerving the heavily armed guards stationed by the doors. Tonight had an air of danger about and Farfarello was restless. He could sense it but it was still too intangible to put his finger on.

Flicking his eyes over to Schuldig, he telepathically sent him the thoughts on his mind. A quick sideways glance and Schuldig returned his answer. Crawford caught the exchange and tensed slightly. Tonight was a very disturbing night for him. Earlier, as he had been preparing for this meeting, he had been assaulted by a barrage of volatile images that saw him sprawled on the floor and gasping loudly for breath. Later when he had recovered, Nagi had told him that he had collapsed and had been unconscious for almost 10 minutes. 

The worried looks in his team's eyes were enough to spur Crawford on in his cursed quest to solve this mystery. He doubted that he would be able to survive anymore such mind-blowing visions again. Because of this, Schwarz had been tempted to back out of the meeting. However, Crawford insisted as he knew that the outcome of not fulfilling a contract was liable to get Schwarz into trouble. And the last thing that Crawford needed was more trouble. And so against everybody's better judgement, they went.

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'Farf's getting edgy, Crawford,' Schuldig sent the thought across to the tall American. _'He's telling me that something's coming and that the time of pain will commence. Whatever the hell that is.' _

Crawford could detect a hint of worry underlying the sarcasm of the thought. Trust Farfarello to give in to his animal senses. That man was almost as good as Crawford when it came to natural phenomenon like earthquakes and typhoons. And given the things that have been happening, Crawford was not likely to doubt the Irishman's primal intuition. He himself could almost taste the tension in the air. This time, there was no need for his pre-cognitive powers to inform him. 

And it was coming soon.

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Omi checked the portable mikes that were to keep the Weiss team in constant contact one last time before handing them out. Each of them fixed their respective receiver into their ears and quietly tested them. Their mission for tonight involved taking out the underworld kingpin Hirota whose excessive taste in prostitution had resulted in the deaths of several women. Yoji had been particularly insistent that he be the one to string the bastard up like he had with the former boss of Riot, and had made Ran promise not to gut him before he got his chance. Ran's response to that had essentially been "Hn." Ever the loquacious one, that redhead leader of theirs. 

Ken and Ran melded into the shadows that now weighed in heavier as the crescent moon disappeared from view. Omi kept behind Yoji, guarding the rear and generally keeping an eye out for any possible rooftop snipers. The both of them made it to the doorway when they heard a crackle over their radios. Ken's voice was tinny but what he said was enough to freeze them.

"Schwarz is here!"

"Damn it!" Yoji cursed softly as his fingers twitched over his weapon, the activity almost releasing the catch that kept his wire tightly wound. 

Omi's response was a sharp intake of breath before reaching into his belt for a couple of extra darts. These darts were special in that the toxins within them were guaranteed to kill a man within seconds. Kritiker had seen to it that Weiss did not put themselves into situations that did not ensure a quick kill. Except for Ran, the others had a weapons upgrade since their unfortunate incident with the Americans. Their weapons were more refined and the materials of a higher quality. Manx had insisted only on the best.

"Take out the guards quickly and quietly," Ran's low voice came over the receivers. "I can see three of them except Farfarello. Keep an eye out for him, he's probably the first one you'll meet."

"Just what I need," Yoji growled low. "That crazy bastard's going to ruin everything. Bombay, watch the rafters, I'm sure he's gonna drop in on us like a bat out of hell."

"Hai. You keep an eye out too, Balinese. Don't focus on Hirota at the expense of anything else, okay?" Omi replied, his eyes methodically scanning the place.

"Yeah, I know. Next to that bastard, is that kid. The other two I can pretty much handle."

Even as they were speaking they could here the faint pants of Ran and Ken over the microphones as they took out the guards that had been watching the periphery. Apparently, Schwarz seemed a little too preoccupied to personally come out and greet them. Not that it was necessary - Weiss was never fond of their enemies' welcomes. Yoji's senses were almost screaming when he caught sight of a faint gleam of metal in the deep gloom of the building. 

Barely managing to shove Omi aside, he felt the breeze from Farfarello's blade as it passed by his face. Instinctively releasing his wire, he expertly flung it out to entangle the berserker in the metal strands. Farfarello ignored the wires curling around his left arm and lashed out at the tall blonde with his right. Twisting away from the near fatal slash, it now became an unpleasant game of holding the tiger's tail. 

Omi had meanwhile righted himself and was forced to deal with the appearance of several armed guards that had arrived. The darts flew out of his hand, each throw connecting with the soft flesh of the targets. The poisons worked swiftly and their numbers diminished rapidly. Barely avoiding several of the gunshots, he managed to duck behind several crates that were haphazardly stacked by the side of the building. Pulling out several more darts from his utility belt, he released them in quick succession to bring down the remaining few. 

Quickly scanning his surroundings, he realised something unusual. Aside from Farfarello, the other members of Schwarz were still absent. Frowning at the disturbing thought, he crept out and turned his attention to Yoji and his crazed opponent. Trying to find a suitable break in the struggle, Omi lightly grasped the deadly dart in his fingers. So focused was he on his intention to bring down the Irishman that he failed to see a dark form materialising behind him.

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…………………………………………………

Aya accelerated her finely tuned Suzuki motorcycle down the highway, her long dark plaits flying out behind her. The helmet she wore covered her features while the loose black tunic and trousers gave her a degree of anonymity that she liked as the Hunter. Momoe-san had promised to design a new outfit for her but had not as yet fulfilled that promise. Not that Aya cared to remind her - the current one served its purpose and was easy to wash besides. Aya had other things to deal with and developing the Hunter's haute couture was the least of her priorities.

It was the same with her hair. Aya knew that it was not fashionable to continue braiding her hair but she didn't stop. Sakura had once told her that while she had been in her coma, Ran had visited her every day during his free time. Aya had been almost tearful when told of how Ran would lovingly brush her hair and plait it so that they would frame her face. It had been the last thing he had remembered of her before the accident. Aya had actually planned on cutting her hair after her eighteenth birthday but had decided against it after hearing Sakura's story. In loving memory of her brother's devotion to her, the plaits remained.

Exiting the main road, she turned towards the warehouses located at the city's outskirts. Momoe-san had told her that a portal to the Other Realm had opened and that it was large enough to allow for a number of demons to pass through. Aya couldn't help if either Seki or Nanami would meet her there to back her up. As she neared the buildings, her thoughts couldn't help returning to the first group of her promised Guardians. A wry smile tugged at her lips as she recalled their unfortunate encounter with the demons.

The group called Schwarz that she had had to rescue had not really impressed her. But then again, Momoe-san had told her that they were still unaware of the truth behind the demons' appearances. If they did meet up once more, she could bring them to meet Momoe-san and have the situation spelled out for them. It was a pity that she had to as yet meet the other group of Guardians that called themselves Weiss. Perhaps in time they will soon cross paths. 

As she turned down the gravel-strewn road, Aya felt the prickling of demonic energy at the edges of her senses. Slowing down the motorcycle, she focused on them and allowed the faintly resonating waves to guide her to its source. As she approached the building, she realised that it was occupied and that something was happening inside. It wasn't demonic in nature but a soft glow within her soul flared. Her Guardians! So it seemed that tonight would be the night she would finally meet them all.

With a smile behind her masked face and her blade unsheathed, Aya moved towards the building that would finally determine the fate of her future as the Hunter.

……………………………………………….

Standing in the shadows that easily cloaked him from sight, the Baron observed the events that were beginning to unfold. Sato had done his job well and now he had enough information on the Hunter and her Guardians. It was ironic that the two antagonists Weiss and Schwarz would turn out to be more allies than enemies. The way Rothschild saw it, it was amusing but at the same time worrying. Given that Brad Crawford was a very astute individual in spite of his precognitive abilities, Rothschild wouldn't put it past the man to forge a temporary alliance with Weiss. Schwarz looked out for itself and no one else, regardless of the means to its end. After that, it is another story.

As for Weiss, they were the proverbial white knights despite their less than noble activities. Fujimiya Ran being the leader would rather slit his throat before agreeing to work with Schwarz but then again, he would do anything for his sister. She was both his greatest weakness and his greatest strength. Rothschild certainly knew of the Fujimiya family history. That which could not be found through conventional means was divined through Michiko's exceptional sorcery. Rothschild could understand the man. It echoed in his soul, stirring memories that he wished were buried, yet at the same time knowing that it was the reason of his dark quest.

Majel had now appeared by his right shoulder, her face hidden in the darkness. Her eyes however, glowed with a strange wanderlust that didn't escape Rothschild's attention. Her power was faintly pulsing as she stared into the distance. It looked as though she was watching something that had captured her attention. The Baron knew better than to distract her from her visions. 

Michiko had for her own reasons declined to follow them this evening. Rothschild didn't bother asking why; the Wyrd Twins were an enigma onto themselves. Glancing off to the left, he noted his other companions for the evening. Kanta was a huge hulk by the warehouse wall while Sato casually stood nearby with his hand tucked in a pocket. Tilting his head upwards, he noted the final member of their group perched precariously on the rooftop.

Huo Long shifted slightly to get a better view of the proceedings within the murky warehouse next door. He took in the attacks of Weiss and frowned at the relatively lacklustre skills of the combatants. He wanted to see some action with fluid moves but apparently it was meant to be a straightforward massacre. Such a disappointment. Huo Long was a pyrokinetic. Having remained undetected by Estet, he learnt to control his deadly power the hard way. As such, he utilised the martial arts as a means of releasing his tensions and to control the emotions that could easily cause him to lose control.

Baron Rothschild had been the one to recognise and train him in the use of his gift. However, realising that the Shanghai-born man disliked having to rely on his psychic powers, Rothschild rarely demanded it from him. In return, Huo Long agreed to serve under Rothschild for as long as either one was alive. The Baron made sure that all his followers were well taken care off. If he had been forced to survive on the streets of Shanghai, he would most probably be handling triad business for one of the triad bosses. Something the Chinese man refused to contemplate - Huo Long was loyal only to those he deemed worthy.

"I can feel their presence, Baron," came the soft melodious voice of Majel. 

Her eyes shone in the darkness and Rothschild felt the power emanating from her pale slender frame. The woman was like an antenna for demonic energy. Nodding his head in acknowledgement, he signalled for the others to move out. It was tonight that Rothschild wanted to see what his possible foes were capable of. But most importantly, he wanted to see for himself the power and strength of the legendary Hunter.

Rothschild had a mission but would it succeed given the perceived odds stacked against it? He had to know.

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Author's Notes: This chapter took more than a month to write and I only managed to complete it while typing in my aunt's kitchen 10,000 km from home. Talk about trying to find inspiration when needed. I'm not overly happy with it but I needed to provide more detail about the 'villains' and a little more on Aya. The first parts with Weiss and Schwarz were scene fillers in a sense. I really enjoy writing them in anywhere I can – without harming the story plot, that is! But the next chapter will be mainly action so this chapter's 'fillers' set the stage. The Baron and gang will only be spectators in the next chapter though. 

I finally realised why I don't quite like making up my own characters. It's so tiring to define their character and their reasons for existence. Yeah, that's why I love fanfiction. More than half the work's been done in terms of design and characterisation. Gosh but I'm so lazy and creatively challenged at times! *lol*

Now, I suppose some of you are wondering about the following. What secret has the Baron got that makes it so important to want all that nasty power? Hee, hee. I'm not telling - at least, not yet. What about the Wyrd Twins, Kanta and Sato? Even Huo Long has only a brief bio. It'll take me some time to put together their respective bios. Argh! I've really got myself into a mess, haven't I? Hopefully, I don't mess it up too badly.

Huo Long is Chinese (Mandarin, if you are really particular) for Fire Dragon. Why? Simple – he's a pyrokinetic; someone who can create and manipulate fire at will.' Dragon' to mean that he's disciplined and skilled, not an emotional person who'd succumb to tempers. Ran is a contradiction if you think about it. That's why I consider him a 'Tiger' as opposed to a 'Dragon'. He succumbs to periodic rages and loses control at times, despite his otherwise cool and focused exterior. It's a little hard to explain but see it this way - the Dragon is foremost but the Tiger is just behind; through discipline and patience, the Tiger can become a Dragon. Yeah, it's one of those weird kung-fu sayings you pick up from badly-dubbed martial arts films. ^___^;;

So please drop a review in the box below to let me know what you think of the story so far. I know some of you may find it slow-going but try to understand that I like a degree of character exploration. After all, I'm basing this as an alternate continuation to the Weiss Kreuz universe and the characters have to 'develop' for the story to have any merit. If taken for granted, I might as well put as a humour / parody piece.

Till the next chapter, ja mata ne! 


	11. And the Gates of Hell Openeth

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Disclaimers: I don't own Weiss or anything related to them. There is no profit to be gained except personal satisfaction. I do, however, own all the weird monsters and assorted dead guys scattered throughout this fic.

Thank you to:

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Larania **-** Better late than never! I'm thankful that you show your support for this fic by reviewing the chapters as they appear. Hope you'll continue to support this fic! 

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Yue no Miko - Yes, Weiss and Schwarz have another face-off. However, things will be a little bit different given the 'extra' characters that get involved. As for the Twins, one will make an appearance, the other will appear later on. Don't worry, they have the second act to strut their stuff!

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Aeris - I'm glad to hear from you again! Things are definitely going full steam ahead so stay tuned!

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Genuine_sun - Thank you for your compliments! I'm glad that you like my portrayal of Schwarz. I was starting to feel a little lonely in my belief of them being interpreted in this way. Keep on reviewing!

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To all the other 840+ readers – Thanks for reading this fic. However, it would be nice if you would introduce yourself to me personally by leaving a review in the box below. I would love to send you a personal 'thank you' too!

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Chapter 10: And the Gates of Hell Openeth…

Hell on earth is an interesting if somewhat exaggerated comment people use when things seem to be against them, either physically or otherwise. For Crawford, it carried a lot more substance since the literal meaning of it was unfolding before his eyes. Cursing his under-functioning pre-cog abilities, he haphazardly dodged the barrage of bullets, demons and other forms of deadly projectiles. He'd lost Schuldig and Nagi in the maelstrom of crazy activity but did not allow himself the luxury of worrying about them. 

Knowing the telepath, he would probably hone in on his leader much like a high-tech missile and they would retreat from the carnage. Nagi was an even less worry. The teenager was more than capable of literally clearing the floor before calmly walking to the nearest exit. Farfarello on the other hand, warranted some concern. If he was in his berserker mode, they would be picking up pieces of the Irishman unless his higher mental faculties kicked in to place his survival at the forefront.

Almost skidding round the corner, Crawford barely dodged the sudden slash of a gleaming sword. Cursing mentally, he took in the slightly battered appearance of the Weiss leader. Abyssinian's eyes narrowed dangerously and Crawford suddenly found himself wishing that he was dealing with one of those demonic spawns that were now beginning to overrun the warehouse. Here, furious amethyst clashed with startled gold.

"Crawford…"

The low growl from the swordsman at saying his name caused the American to take a defensive stance. There was no time for fooling about given the situation and both of them knew it. Only one of them would walk away from this fight and given Crawford's current less than functioning pre-cognition and mental fatigue, the chances were decidedly in the redhead's favour. Plus, he had a weapon that had a longer reach than Crawford's arms. Damn it all.

"I believe the current situation is not conducive to our vendetta, Abyssinian. Perhaps another time?" Crawford smoothly interrupted. _'Stall him till either Schuldig or Nagi to get here,'_ his mind advised him. Gods but he hated being so vulnerable. Now, he could almost sympathise with the non-psychic population. 

***************************************

Yoji's 'dance' session with Farfarello was abruptly interrupted by sudden descent of a taloned hand that snapped their connecting wire like spider thread. For a moment, both stood and stared at the dangling wire while mentally trying to process what happened. In the next, their reflexes took over and both dove out of the path of the swipe of deadly claws. 

"Oh shit! Not these things again!" Yoji cursed as he scrambled away from the creature. 

From his peripheral vision, he glimpsed the Irishman attack the monster, his blade glinting briefly before it connected with some indeterminate part of the creature's anatomy. With both man and monster occupied, the lanky blonde took the opportunity to escape. A broken wire was a very poor substitute to Farfarello's blade. Not that it mattered seeing as he held no fondness for either creature or the berserker. 

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'I hope they kill each other,' was the only charitable thought that came to his mind_. 'It'll definitely make the world a better place.'_

At that moment, Omi reached out and grabbed Yoji's arm, his fear lending him a sudden strength. The taller man winced at the iron-clad grip but allowed the younger assassin to lead him towards the exit. By now, the screams and loud bursts of automatic gunfire in the enclosed building were drowning out all thought. Ducking through the chaos and desperately avoiding sporadic gunfire in their direction, the two managed to reach it. 

"Siberian, Abyssinian! Do you copy? Bombay calling, please respond!" Omi shouted frantically into the mic. The static was getting louder and he could barely hear Ken's voice over the earpiece. Of Ran, there was no response.

"Abyssinian! Balinese here, respond immediately!" Yoji yelled into his mic. There was a sudden 'pop' and he heard a name that sent a chill down his spine. "Shit, Crawford's cornered Ran." 

Omi's eyes widened at hearing it but there was little they could do. The situation was turning out very badly and they now had more than just Schwarz and the Yakuza to worry about. 

"Where's Ken?" Yoji started, suddenly remembering the sole response to Omi's call.

"He's at the rear of the building opposite to where Ran was supposed to be," Omi began before he was wrenched along by the taller man in the direction of their team mate. Skirting round the metal supports, they drew up short as they came face to face with two very unwelcome faces.

"Look like our little kittens are lost, eh Nagi? Think we ought to be good Samaritans and help them find their way home?" The long-haired German smirked at them. The younger teenager simply stared at the two men, his unwavering gaze further unsettling the two Weiss assassins. 

"We don't have time to waste with you, Schuldig," Yoji growled, his hand reaching for the remains of his wire. He could sense Omi readying his darts in case a fight started.

"Well now, you do remember me. I'm touched. And here I was thinking that you would have forgotten all those wonderful times we had together. But then again, you do have an exceptional memory, Kudou." Schuldig baited the taller blonde.

It was only Omi's tight restraint that prevented Yoji from launching himself at the telepath. Laughing at the man's rising anger, Schuldig failed to realise that something was approaching. Only Nagi's gasp and Weiss' sudden dive to the floor saved him from a very messy end. Landing ungracefully on top of the younger Weiss member, he felt the gust of air as it swept over him. A moment later, he found a very sharp dart pressed against his jugular.

"Don't even breathe more than you have to, Schuldig," Omi whispered hoarsely as he pushed the point a little closer to the unprotected throat. "Nagi's a little busy squashing monsters but if he so much as looks in your direction, I'll kill you."

"You've grown very cold, kaetzchen," Schuldig rasped out before he felt a sharp pricking that quickly silenced him. He could see that Nagi was caught in a dilemma as Yoji had placed himself in a position to either quickly attack the teenager or block the psychic attack. Either way, Schuldig knew that he would be taken out first. Trying to probe Omi's mind only brought a tightening of the assassin's hold around his chest and a rough jab that drew blood.

Nagi weighed the options before him. After eliminating several of those creatures, his strength was draining rapidly. Given the latest attack, the teenager knew that he had little ability in saving Schuldig before Bombay slashed his jugular. And the tall blonde watching him intently made things a lot harder. Nagi hated it. He hated having to choose between Schuldig and himself. If he chose his survival over Schuldig's, then the guilt would haunt him. If he sacrificed himself, he had no guarantee that Schuldig would survive. Despite appearances, he knew that the telepath was still recovering from his earlier injuries.

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'Nagi, go to Crawford. He needs you more than me. Abyssinian's making things rough for him.' Schuldig's voice broke into his thoughts.

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'But what about you?' Nagi's worried reply shot back.

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'I'll be fine. These kittens are more afraid of you than of me. Go quickly before our pre-cog leader ends up as sushi from Abyssinian's sword. You know that Crawford's worth in the organisation outstrips any of us. And I know that you're tiring. Get the rest out of here before there's no more Schwarz.'

Nagi gave the three a final inscrutable look before stepping back into the gloom. Yoji watched the teenager disappear before turning around to glare at the telepath still sprawled on the floor. He could see the trickle of blood at Schuldig's throat soaking into the shirt's collar and he was a little surprised at Omi's violence. But it got the point across and that was all that mattered. Giving the watchful German a feral grin, Yoji thought that maybe tonight might not be so bad after all. Heck, they might even get an extra big bonus for the Schwarz telepath.

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'Nice to know how much I mean to you, Kudou.' The German's snide comment broke into his thoughts and rudely jolted him back.

"Get the fuck out of my head, Schuldig. Or I'll ask Omi to test his new dart on your jugular." Yoji was now all business. Having his mind read had now made him very alert and attentive to things. "Hands out, nice and slow. Any twitching and we'll find out how long it'll take for you to bleed to death."

Schuldig gave a small pout and slowly stretched out his hands. He felt the younger assassin shift slightly to allow his movement but gave him no quarter in taking advantage. If anything, the sharp dart made its annoying presence felt even more. It seemed that Weiss had learnt to be extra careful since the last time they met. Damn it. 

Feeling the wire dig into his wrists, Schuldig forced himself not to wince. His gun was useless without bullets but he had lost it earlier anyway. His Lady Luck was apparently on vacation and obviously not planning on checking in anytime soon. Unless Nagi and Crawford made it back in time, preferably with Farfarello in tow, he might not have a chance of escaping. But until then, he would remain silent and watch for any opportunity to appear. Besides, he could use the forced time-out as his ribs were beginning to protest at his recent exertions.

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Aya made her way along the side of the building, her senses alert for the presence of evil. She had been training very hard to master the skill of sensing demonic emanations but was still a little unsure. Her Hunter's skills and senses had been increasing exponentially since her acceptance of her role and the subsequent training and field experience. 

Momoe-san and Seki were pleased with her progress and she had struck up a friendship with the bubbly Nanami. She was curious about Seki and Nanami but didn't know how to broach the subject. Perhaps she should just let it be. Aya knew how uncomfortable it was to be probed about her background and had learnt to respect others' privacy. She was now a very different person from the little busybody she had once been.

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'Nii-san would so shocked if he knew what I've become. He was always telling me to grow up and be strong but he still wanted me to remain his little imouto-chan,' Aya reflected. For a moment, she almost felt herself being overwhelmed by a whirl of emotions. After forcing herself to calm down, she mentally chided herself for not focusing on the job at hand.

Easily hidden in the shadows, Aya allowed her senses to flow out and through her. The sensations of the light breeze, the smell of the sea, oil and other signs of humanity filled her but she nudged them aside. She didn't care for that, she was searching for something else. Something that seemed to tickle at the edges of her heightened perception. Directing her senses towards it, she could feel the emanations pulsing. 

They were coming, and there were more than before. Worrying her lower lip, she wondered if she should call for assistance or try to handle them alone. Momoe-san had said that her Guardians would be there but could she rely on them? The members of Schwarz had not been all that capable in handling the earlier demons, would they now be able handle these new ones?

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'Stop wasting time wondering since it's not going to help any.' Squaring her shoulders, she approached the side door. As she touched the handle, she felt the powerful surge of demonic energy before the sounds of terror and heavy gunfire. Forcing the door open, she slipped into the building prepared to face down those creatures from the netherworld. And judging from the way her senses were jangling, she had a feeling that it was going to be a very long night.

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Author's Notes: Well, that was a trying exercise. It's supposed to be action but I think I may have been stingy on the excitement factor. But then again, there's still a couple more continuing chapters to this to complete this story arc. Therefore, 13 chapters to an Arc. It seems like an anime series. Then again, it works in my favour. What about the 'bad guys' like the Baron and his posse? Well, they'll appear more often later on. I like to build up on the suspense and take time in sweating the details. That's not a bad thing now, is it?

Btw, for those of you wondering - **kaetzchen** means 'kitten' in German. Since I don't know how to accent the letters, I had to use the English way of spelling. After all, one must show a little respect for the language(s) we either use or borrow, yes? 

Hmm, seems that I'm guilty of putting Schu-schu in the hot seat again, aren't I? And Crawford is not exactly lucky either but hey, gimme a break! Schwarz is always a little too good to be true so I've tipped the scales a little. Besides, I think I enjoy being mean to them. They're usually nasty to others so I figured, let's put them in a spot to be a lil' more pathetic than Weiss… *runs for cover from rabid pro-Schwarz fans* 

So let me know how things are going for you with regards to the story. I love reading your comments and reviews as they let me know how much my work is valued. So until the next chapter, enjoy! And before I forget:

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HAPPY NEW YEAR 2003!


	12. The Predestined Meeting

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Disclaimers: I don't own Weiss and anything related to it. I only own all the unfamiliar characters as they came out of my head for the purpose of fulfilling this fic. But then, that won't curb your pleasure of reading this fic, right?

Thanks to:

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Larania – Yes, the great confrontation is at hand! At least for some of them, that is. Stay tuned for even more action!

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GeneWeiss – Wow! The best WK fic writer you know? You make me blush! I do try to be different, glad to know it's working for some! I was wanting to leave something for your Saiyuki fic "Fatherhood" but ff.net was rejecting it. I loved it and I hope that you'll continue.

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Genuine_sun – Thanks for reviewing! I understand that ff.net was misbehaving so reviews couldn't be sent in. Thanks for agreeing that Schwarz is a little 'too good to be true' and should be made more 'human'. I don't do yaoi so that aspect of romance is not on the cards. 

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RaTt – Chapters 7-10 in one sitting! I hope your eyes are okay. You'll need them to continue with future ones *lol*. I don't think the story is slowing down… It's really action all the way from here, so I hope that's enough for you!

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Yue no Miko – Thanks for continuing to review this fic. I'm glad that you enjoy my depiction of the action scenes – I've worked really hard on them! Also, things are coming to pass and the fateful meeting draws near! Since the ff.net problem, I haven't had the opportunity to leave something behind for your fic "Sleeping Beauty". Hopefully I'll get another shot soon!

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And for the other 950+ readers – How about a little hello to let me know what you think? I'm waiting… ^__^

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Chapter 11: The Predestined Meeting 

Ken was having a very hard time. Since the last time he had seen one of these things, he had simply blocked off that memory as some form of mass hallucination. But having two of them suddenly pop up while trying to avoid being riddled with machine gunfire, it was a very rude wake-up call. Especially when the nightmare was just beginning.

"Oh damn, oh damn, oh damn," he panted while trying to get a strike in. Ran had disappeared and he was alone in handling this problem. Ducking under an out-thrust arm, he managed to scour deep cuts into the beast that caused it to implode. Unfortunately, its hide had proved tougher than it looked and Ken's heart sank when he felt rather than heard the snapping of a blade. Despite them being a more superior version of his former bugnuks, the current model was obviously not made for monster killing. 

He heard the static over his mic before Omi's frantic voice carried over. Yelling his reply to the younger assassin, he called for their back up. Hearing the affirmative response gave Ken that added reassurance and the extra power he needed to face the other beast. But unlike the other, this one proved more difficult to eliminate. Before he realised it, Ken felt himself airborne, the shock of the blow stunning him as he crashed heavily onto the blood splattered concrete floor. Lying face up, his blurring vision took in the looming shadow of the beast as it shuffled towards him, it's long-taloned limb raised and ready to rip him apart.

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'Someone help me, please….' came his last thought before closing his eyes to the inevitable.

There was a soft swoosh directly overhead, a muffled 'pop' and a moment later something like dust settled over his face. It tickled his nose and he gave a violent sneeze. The force caused him to jerk upwards before his skull cracked back down onto the concrete. Groaning in agony, he barely heard a soft chuckle coming from the shadowed figure beside him. His eyes now focusing through the tears in his eyes, he realised that the person standing there was offering his hand to pull him up. Accepting, he didn't question the strong tug on his arm. Ken was too sore and bewildered for that.

"Thanks," he began but blinked when he realised that he was now alone. Glancing about him in confusion, he couldn't help but wonder if he had in fact, hit his head a lot harder than it felt.

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Farfarello had managed to eliminate a couple of the creatures before he found himself hard pressed by a larger, meaner beast that was very intent on gutting him. Repeated strikes against it only served to fuel its anger. But for Farfarello, such persistence was bliss. He did not bother to speculate on his strange fascination to continue the fight but chose to revel in death's dance. Farfarello was now attaining a high he had never achieved in his career as an assassin. If this was hell, he was loving it.

Ducking down, he angled his pointed blade up before skewering the monster's gullet. It caught in the thick flesh and he could not yank it loose. A sudden hard blow to the back of his shoulders found him sprawled at the creature's feet. Lifting its foot, it managed to trap the Irishman's arm before he had managed to completely roll away. Farfarello instinctively clutched at the offending limb and tried to throw it off balance. Unfortunately, it was too heavy to budge.

The creature had meanwhile reached up and grabbed the weapon protruding from its neck. It came loose with a wet, greasy sound and tossed into the gloom far out of the berserker's reach. It seemed satisfied that the advantage was all his and applied greater pressure to the pinned man. Farfarello could not feel pain but he could feel the heavy weight bearing down on him. Twisting served little purpose and he was beginning to have breathing difficulties. Cursing at the blackness seeping in behind his eyes, he now wondered if this was the best way to die.

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Crawford and Ran were panting hard given their recent exertions. Try as the swordsman might, the nimble pre-cog had managed to avoid his deadly strikes. Ran had now resigned himself to the fact that fatigue would decide on the victor of this match. Crawford eyed the redhead warily and tried to read his intentions. His headache was now returning with a vengeance and he could sense that things were getting further out of hand than he had anticipated. Once more, he cursed the powers that be for the miserable run of luck he had been having.

"We're getting nowhere with this, Abyssinian," Crawford said as he slowly straightened up. "These creatures are starting to overrun the place and I believe that it would serve both our interests to pull back and re-group."

"The fight ends here and now."

Without warning, Ran launched himself at the American, his blade sweeping in a deadly arc towards the man's gut. Crawford barely saw it coming and leapt back desperately. The blade sliced through his jacket and Crawford almost groaned at the costly damage inflicted. Stumbling back a couple of steps, Crawford suddenly felt the ground give out under his feet.

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'What the --!' came his thought before darkness swallowed him. Ran blinked in surprise at the Schwarz leader's sudden disappearance and tried to peer into the depths of the pit. Frowning in annoyance at his cheated victory, the redhead then moved on to re-group with his team mates. As he disappeared into the darkness, he did not see the young telekinetic move towards the hole. By now, most of the commotion had died down with only the roaring and growling of the demonic beasts as they found their victims.

"Crawford! Crawford! Are you okay? Answer me!" Nagi called into the grim darkness. Straining his ears, he managed to pick out a faint scuffle before Crawford's voice answered him. Feeling his heart lighten with relief, Nagi focused his powers to help Crawford out . Grunting with effort, Crawford managed to pull himself out and both he and the telekinetic slumped to the ground exhausted.

"The next time I ever decide to go half-cocked into a mission, slam me into a wall," the American muttered as he rubbed his strained muscles. Looking towards Nagi, he realised that the strain of the night was wearing the telekinetic down. Another thing that was bugging him was the absence of the two other team members. Seeing Crawford's stern expression, Nagi shook his head in response. Pursing his lips in a grim line, Crawford tried to come up with a plan to reach the other two before either Weiss or the monsters got to them.

"Bombay and Balinese have Schuldig and I haven't found Farfarello. I can't contact Schuldig either," Nagi said, his voice tinged with anxiety. Not since the failed summoning had he been fearful, and even then it paled greatly in comparison to this. Schwarz had never been so splintered as of this moment. And to think, he had almost lost Crawford down that pit. Sensing the teenager's distress, Crawford gently rested a hand on Nagi's thin shoulder. Where he had once made such a decision to leave, it now seemed that much harder. 

Damn it but Crawford was beginning to develop a conscience.

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Aya finished off the few remaining monsters before heading further into the darkness. Her superior sight allowed her to avoid various objects on the ground including the dead bodies. Wrinkling her nose in disgust, she managed to side-step what looked like a torn-off hand. It seemed that the demons were beginning to get more violent with their prey. Aya hoped that she would be able to find the portal that was allowing these creatures to enter. In her pocket, she could feel the sacred seal that Momoe-san had given her to close the breach.

Something caught her eye and she turned to look. It appeared to be three persons huddled by a post. They seemed to be waiting for something but Aya did not venture up to them. She had more pressing things to handle and besides, they were safe from the any attack. It was the next scene that caught her full attention.

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'It's that white-haired man from Schwarz,' she realised

It looked the beast was about to squash the man beneath its foot into a pulpy mess. Without delving further into the hows and whys, Aya launched herself at it. Her spiritually-enhanced blade sliced cleanly through the monster's neck and it disintegrated with a muted explosion. Looking down at the semi-conscious man, she saw his sole amber eye fixate on her.

"The Dark Angel," he murmured and Aya unconsciously blushed at his words. Stepping away, she once again headed in the direction of the portal's energy source. Time was running out and Aya had to seal it before the rip widened further. The consequences of failing were to fearful to even begin to imagine.

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The Baron watched on as Majel absorbed the energy emanating from the portal. It glowed a sickly red and pulsed in time to an unknown heartbeat. Her eyes were closed and she began to chant softly in an ancient tongue. The glow brightened and formed writhing tendrils that stretched out to touch her pale hands. Majel gasped at the moment of contact and her eyes flew open unseeing. Her body began to rock back and forth as though buffeted by a gale. Uttering a low shriek, she broke her contact with it and slumped back into the Baron's waiting arms.

As he held her, Rothschild could feel the raw power sweeping through her slender frame. The sensation of it heightened his senses and it made him long for more. Unfortunately, only those who were gifted with the ability for purification could handle such raw energy. No, Rothschild would have to wait until it was finally his turn to claim the Great Demon's powers. Looking over to Kanta, he motioned for the bodyguard to carry the now unconscious witch to the car. Signalling to Huo Long, the both of them melted into the shadows to await the next visitor to the portal.

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Ran had managed to find Ken and only half-listened to the man's ramblings about someone saving him from the monster. The fact that Ken himself admitted that he had little idea about what he witnessed, confirmed that he had been pretty much out of it when it happened. For all he knew, Farfarello could have been the one to unwittingly save the brunette. As they made their way to Yoji and Omi, they suddenly realised that things were suddenly too quiet. The growls and roars that had recently dominated the warehouse were now hushed and Ran felt his hair stand on end at the unnatural silence. 

"Bombay, do you copy?" Ran called out into the mic. Ken shifted uneasily beside him, his eyes searching through the darkness for any 'surprises' that may come out at them. His mic had been lost during his unfortunate encounter with the beast earlier.

"Abyssinian? Are you okay? Where are you?" Omi's voice crackled over the receiver, the relief in his voice evident.

"Roger that. I'm with Siberian. Prepare to move out," came his curt reply.

"We've captured us a telepath. How's that for an otherwise sucky evening?" Yoji's voice carried over the mic. It sounded a little too happy.

Ran arched an eyebrow at the news but refrained from answering. At this moment, all he wanted was to finish the job before heading home for a long, hot shower and bed. Motioning to Siberian, they both moved off in the direction of their two companions. Neither of them saw the gleaming amber eye of Farfarello as he watched them go.

"Time to play with the kitties," he murmured softly to himself before running his tongue over the blade in his hand.

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"Don't get too comfy, Schuldig," Yoji warned as he watched the telepath squirm about to find a less lumpy part of the ground to rest on.

"Aww, c'mon Kudou, have a heart. I've been a good boy so why not let me find somewhere less rocky to park myself. It's not like you're graciously offering me your lap to snuggle up in," Schuldig pouted at the chestnut blonde. He couldn't resist smirking at the man's look of utter disgust at the thought.

"Abyssinian and Siberian are on their way, Balinese." Omi cautioned as he eyed the German with contempt. 

Omi had never forgiven Schuldig for his role in Ouka's pointless murder. Farfarello was the only other person he hated enough to want to kill outright if the berserker had been in Schuldig's place. For a moment, Omi regretted not finishing the job with the telepath but he forced the feeling to pass. After Kritiker had finished dealing with the telepath, Omi figured he could ask Manx for a shot at the bastard – literally.

"Cruel thoughts, chibi. I never knew you had it in you," Schuldig said as he looked the younger assassin in the eye. 

Despite his words, the telepath's face was serious. It seemed that Schuldig finally realised the position he was in and the futility of escaping. Abyssinian and Siberian were approaching and Schuldig could not detect any stray thoughts from his team mates. The only logical reasons he could think of were that they were either unconscious or worse, dead. That last thought held no comfort for him. Schuldig was now very much alone.

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Nagi and Crawford made their way through the darkness carefully. They were exhausted both physically and mentally and they did not need any further confrontations. Crawford had a frown on his face as he tried unsuccessfully to reach the telepath. His glance in Nagi's direction confirmed his worry. The teenager's strained look at his attempts to link up telepathically with their companion was just as futile. 

Another problem plaguing them was Crawford's violently mis-firing pre-cog abilities. Twice since leaving the pit, Nagi had had to support the American as visions slammed through the man's brain. After each event, it took the groaning man a couple of minutes slumped on the ground before he managed to push on. Nagi was getting increasingly anxious of the man.

"Crawford," he began watching as the now perspiring man stumbled forward. "We need to take a break."

"We don't have time for it, Nagi," the American replied, his voice thick with exhaustion. "We need to find the others and get out of here before those things come back."

Nagi's eyes widened at the man's reply. "They-they're coming back?"

Crawford reached into his pocket to pull out a handkerchief before wiping his sweat-dampened face with it. The activity gave him a little more time to think up an answer for the tense teen beside him.

"I can't say for sure if it will happen here and now, or somewhere else and later. All I know is that this is not the end for us."

Nagi bit his lower lip in worry at the reply. Crawford's pre-cog skills were hardly ever wrong but then, the man had always managed to use the visions he received in the most productive ways. It was not enough to know the future but also how to make it work in one's favour. And Crawford was the best at what he did. Vaguely, Nagi wondered about that thing called 'karma' he had read about while skimming the Internet for information on Crawford's visions. Mentally shaking his head, he pushed that thought aside. Nagi believed in only one thing and that was Schwarz, in particular Crawford.

Feeling Crawford tense up under his arm, Nagi jerked up in response. His mouth opened in surprise and he stared at what appeared to be a glowing doorway suspended in the centre of the path they were on. It was of a strange red that made him wary and it seemed to pulse in an unknown rhythm. Crawford gave a low hiss and stepped back, bringing Nagi with him. A sudden movement at the corner of his eye caused him to reach instinctively for his now empty gun. His hand paused as he realised who it was.

Aya smiled behind her mask when she saw the two. She recognised Crawford but was not familiar with the younger man who stood beside the Schwarz leader. She noticed that they looked rather worse for wear and guessed at the recent trouble they had been through. But for now, her attention was on the portal. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out the seal and touched it against the red glow. The seal sparkled and a white light streaked out to cover the red. A moment later, there came a sharp crack and both the seal and portal disappeared.

It was here that the two individuals hidden in the shadows stepped forward. Crawford and Nagi whirled round and took in the tall European man and a smaller Asian dressed in the style of a traditional Chinese tunic and loose pants. Aya frowned as she too eyed the two individuals. Something about the taller man sent a cold shiver down her spine. Facing them, Aya waited for them to introduce themselves. Rothschild stepped forward into the dim light now spilling in through the grimy window overhead. Pausing, he seemed to appraise her before greeting her with a small bow of his head.

"We finally meet, my lady Hunter. And the pleasure is all mine."

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Author's Notes: At last! I've completed this chapter! Now I have to do the next one….. Gulp! What to write??? I certainly seem to be going overboard with all the action scenes [to a certain extent that is ^__^] Anyway, the first crucial meeting between the Baron and Aya-chan the Hunter. And what about Weiss in the grand scheme of things? Well, that's for the next chapter [when I figure it out, of course]. That's the problem with writing; the inspiration hits you like an 18-wheeler on a desert road but then leaves you in the belly-up in the dust wondering what just happened. I believe the term they use is 'writer's block'… *lol*

So let me know what you think of the story thus far. I have the overall idea but I don't believe in carving anything in stone when it comes to such things. I don't mind suggestions or "Have you thought about this…" to be sent to me. Anything and everything helps – it's just a question of being selective. I admire and envy those who are very clear in their ideas and are actually able to carry them out. I just need to stop procrastinating [my biggest sin]. So please review and help keep the story rolling along. Till the next chapter, ja mata ne!


	13. As It All Falls Down

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Disclaimers: I still don't own any of the characters related to Weiss. I own all the monsters and oddball characters that were specifically created in the making of this story.

Thanks to:

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RaTt – First to review! The 'fall' of Schwarz? I kinda like the pun here given Crawford's tumble down a dark hole. *lol*! Keep on reading!

Kaisynaya – I'm glad you're eager for each new chapter to appear. I'm trying to be as consistent as possible, barring any problems. Hope this chapter meets with your approval!

Larania - *nibbles happily on the cheesecake* Mmm, love it. Bern is actually short for Bernardine. Since childhood, I've had linguistically-challenged people stumbling over the name so I've resigned myself to it's abbreviation. As to your questions about Aya's abilities, there's some idea here. But, I will also be including a special Q&A at the end of this story arc to answer any burning questions people may have regarding this story.

Aeris – Ah, avidly waiting for Schwarz & Weiss' reactions to the Hunter's identity. Well, I can only ask you to read on and enjoy the story. It's close… really close.

Yue no Miko – Thanks for the compliment! I like taking time to set the stage and have the characters develop their roles. Rather Shakespearian, eh? Not that I can compare myself to the guy. Wonder if he ever had the dreaded Writer's Block'?

Miko Kudou – Love your name! Now scouting for a Miko Schuldig / Miko Schu-schu [hmm, maybe I should claim it instead…] Glad that you've finally reviewed. I hope to continue to live up to it! You're not the only one wondering about Aya & Ran's meeting. I can only hope it'll live up to the hype I've generated… *sweatdrops*

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To the 1400+ readers [I count the hits] – Thanks for your support of this story, even if you're rather quiet about it. C'mon, tell me what you think!

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Chapter 12: As It All Falls Down

Aya stiffened at the man's words, her hands itching to reach for the sheathed blade strapped at her back. The Asian man stepped away from the side of the European and it did not take a genius to realise that he was there to handle any confrontation. Crawford and Nagi remained where they were and tried to puzzle out the relationship between the Hunter and the European. For Crawford, the situation could no doubt shed further light on the mystery that had plagued him since his first meeting with her.

Nagi's attention was more focused on that of the Asian. The man appeared a little taller than him and was broader at the shoulders. The man's long hair appeared to be dark red and tied back in a loose ponytail, leaving his bangs free. As Nagi continued to watch him, he too returned the favour in equal measure. Something within the teenager told him that this man was a lot more dangerous than he looked. Nagi could not help wishing that his power was back to full strength so as to offer greater protection.

"Who are you?" Aya asked the question bluntly. She was in no mood for games.

"I am the Baron Rothschild, lady Hunter." The silky reply caused the hairs to prickle on the scalps of both Aya and Crawford. It felt so wrong the way he said it and Crawford found his jaw tightening unconsciously.

"Why are you here?"

"Ah, but I wanted to meet you, my dear. I've heard of the Hunter but never expected to find him, to be a her. But I believe that is not what you wish to know." The Baron smiled and his white teeth gleamed in the weak light. "You have a most extraordinary gift and I came in the hope that you would consider lending me your abilities. You will be most amply compensated, I assure you."

Aya could not believe her ears at the man's offer. _'Whatever gave him the idea that I could be bought?' _Aya seethed at the thought. Behind her, she could sense the heightening tension in the Schwarz leader. _'I guess even Crawford-san likes him about as much as I do.'_

The Baron watched with amusement at the response he received to his offer. As much as he had hoped that the Hunter would agree to join him, he held little belief that she would. It did make for an interesting conclusion to the evening. Smiling once more, he then bowed his head slightly and stepped back into the shadows. Aya made to follow but the Asian smoothly moved in to block her.

"Till we meet again, my lady Hunter," came his disembodied voice. It seemed to echo throughout the empty space and Aya clenched both her fists in annoyance. The Asian, however, did not follow his companion. Cautiously eyeing him, Aya wondered at his remaining behind.

"I have watched you fight those demons, Hunter-san," he said to her matter of fact. "My name is Huo Long and I am trained in all areas of the martial arts. If you will permit me, I wish to challenge you to a duel."

Aya's eyes widened at his words. Crawford and Nagi stared at the man in disbelief at what they heard. What century did this guy think he was living in? Glancing at a stunned Aya, Crawford wondered at what the girl was making of the man's offer. He certainly had no idea what to make of the situation. Besides, he wanted to leave this place but not before he had a few words with the Hunter. And he hoped that it would be soon.

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Ran stared down at the tied-up German while Ken looked on impressed at his team mates' prize. If Crawford fell into that pit, then all that remained loose were the telekinetic and Farfarello. Narrowing his eyes at the thought, Ran quickly ordered Omi to set the charges to demolish the warehouse. Ken followed the sandy blonde and Yoji lit up a cigarette to relax.

"Smoking kills, you know. Ever thought what would happen if you ever lived to eighty?"

"Shut up Schuldig. You want my sock in your mouth? I've put really good mileage in them," Yoji shot back his reply.

"I thought that we agreed that you would quit," Ran's voice spoke out, his eyes now focused on the green-eyed blonde.

"Aww, c'mon now. I caught you the Schwarz mind reader and you still want to get on my case about a smoke?" Yoji whined much to the German's amusement. There was some weird 'parent-lecturing-a-kid' thing about it that truly tickled the man's funny bone.

"That is not the point. You agreed to quit, so stick to it. Be more disciplined in your actions, Balinese," came the unsympathetic reply. Yoji growled in protest but ground out the butt underfoot by the bound telepath.

Silence descended once more and this time, it was made more intense by Ran's presence. Schuldig could not help but compare the man to Crawford at his most focused. At least with Crawford, he would indulge in some humour if work was not a top priority. Schuldig doubted Ran was as accommodating even off the battlefield. He felt almost sorry for the other members of Weiss at having to put up with their leader's perpetually sullen demeanour. Say what you want about Schwarz being a bunch of screwed up sociopaths but at least they knew how to have fun – even Farfarello.

The three of them jerked up alert as they heard what sound like a sharp crack echoing throughout the warehouse. Yoji immediately released some of his wire and looped it loosely for a quick toss. Ran unsheathed his sword, the blade's hiss against its scabbard the only warning. Nodding to Yoji to proceed first, Ran reached down and hauled the German to his feet. Wincing at the pins and needles, Schuldig had no time to recover before he was shoved forward. Cursing inwardly, he stumbled after the tall blonde. From his vantage point above, Farfarello observed them before following silently.

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Ken and Omi could not believe their eyes as they took in what appeared to be to two martial artists engaged in a stand-off. The man in the traditional Chinese outfit facing off against a black-clad ninja the both having appeared to have stepped out of a King of Fighters arcade game. Inching in for a closer look, they met up with Crawford and Nagi. Startled, they stared at one another dumbly unable to decide what to do. Nagi narrowed his eyes and sent them a warning glare. He hoped that it would stop them from wanting to pick a fight.

Crawford grimaced at the new complication and cursed under his breath for not leaving earlier. His curiosity had gotten the better of him and he now had a situation that could prove disastrous if mishandled. If Siberian and Bombay were here, it would mean that they were preparing the charges to ensure the building's demolition. And it also meant that Abyssinian and Balinese would come looking for their team mates if they were late in reporting in. Damn it all.

Before they could decide on how to handle the situation, the two combatants clashed. The Chinese man had taken the offensive and had charged the Hunter who appeared uncertain with the situation. Using it to his advantage, he managed to disarm her with a quick blow to her wrist. The blade went skittering into a dark corner and she was forced back. To her credit, she managed to duck a kick to the chest and slam a hand up to throw him off-balance. The fight now began in earnest.

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Aya had had little warning when the man attacked her. He moved swiftly and his blow sent her staggering. As strong as she was, Aya quickly realised that this man was more than capable in seriously injuring if not kill her if she did not handle the situation properly. Focusing herself to the attacks, she allowed herself to enter the fight with a more open mind. After all, she had strength and speed in her favour; all that was uncertain was her level of hand-to-hand combat skills. Aya immediately regretted her slacking off during those lessons.

Huo Long observed the girl's skills as he provoked her with his attacks. He had heard so much about the skills of the legendary Hunter that he had been almost dreaming of this moment. Unfortunately, she was sadly lacking. Perhaps, she was more skilled with the blade than she was in unarmed combat. Whatever the reason, he was beginning to feel disappointed. If this was the skills level of the girl, he might as well put her out of her misery. Besides, it would also make the Baron's job that much easier with her out of the picture. Satisfied with his decision, he now began his deadly assault.

Aya fell backwards as a hard kick slammed into her midsection. Using the momentum, she flipped over before levelling a blow to the man's chest. He easily deflected it and Aya barely avoided his return strike. This man had obviously trained hard in perfecting his skills and it showed. It now came to the point where she was trying to protect herself from the various hard blows he got in. 

Gods, but it hurt! Not even in her early training sessions had she faced such agony. A small, detached part of her mind wondered how she would explain the nasty bruises to Sakura when they opened shop the next morning. She may be able to heal quickly, but these injuries would probably need more than just a day to heal. Right now, Aya wished that either Seki or Nanami was here to back her up.

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The onlookers took in the unequal fight with varying levels of concern. Ken had wanted to rush in to help when Omi yanked him back. As much as the younger man understood the brunette's intentions, he also knew that the situation was beyond their comprehension. Glancing over at Crawford and Nagi, Omi watched their expressions carefully for any clue of the two combatants' identities. Nagi watched them with his customary detached curiosity while Crawford appeared a little too attentive to the scene. As Omi turned to see whom it was that Crawford watched with such intensity, he realised that it was the 'ninja'.

Omi slowly walked up towards the Schwarz duo, all the while making his intentions known. Ken was puzzled but followed behind, his attention divided between Schwarz and the two fighters. Nagi tensed at Omi's approach but Crawford calmed him with a small shake of his head. He was rather surprised that the sandy blonde had managed to read him so well but brushed it away quickly. Looking at him, Crawford nodded towards the Hunter.

"I've met her before. She was the one who destroyed most of those creatures the last time we crossed paths."

"He's a 'SHE'?" Ken gasped in amazement. Swinging around to stare at the two once more, he managed to see the two pigtails swing as she ducked and jabbed at her opponent. "We've got to help her!"

"Don't interfere, Siberian," Crawford responded coldly. "This is her fight, not yours."

"Fuck you, Crawford!" he snarled back in reply. "She's barely holding up and if she's killed those monsters, then she's on our side. I'm not letting that guy beat her up just to get his kicks."

"Idiot," Crawford growled as he turned to stare down the bristling man. "You don't understand the situation, yet you still want to put yourself in a position to get your ass kicked. The only reason she's holding up against that man is because she's the Hunter. If you throw yourself in there, you'll be coming out in a body bag."

Omi frowned as he listened to Crawford's words. The Hunter? What kind of person was that? Looking at the struggling girl, he felt a surge of pity for her. But he also realised that what Crawford said was true. The way the two of them fought indicated a degree of strength and skill that even Ran would have trouble handling. Plus, he had seen how easily she had been disarmed. The man was deadly, indeed even more so than Schwarz, his mind cautioned him. Holding the agitated brunette back, he wanted to ask Crawford to clarify his statement.

It was at that moment Ran, Yoji and Schuldig turned up. The relief on the telepath's face at seeing his companions was obvious. Unfortunately, they too, looked rather worse for wear and Crawford's usually impeccable appearance was marred by his sliced open shirt and jacket.

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'Courtesy of Abyssinian,' came the droll thought.

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'It's good to be able to link up with you two. I never realised how much I missed being able to receive your _thoughts,'_ Schuldig almost sang at the delight of their meeting of the minds. _'Weiss is no fun. You'd better watch out for the chibi, he's a lot more dangerous than he looks.'_

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'Nice bracelets. Think you can wriggle out of them?'

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'Nein. Balinese used his wires and if I tried, I would probably sever an artery. Nagi, think you can work your magic on them?'

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'I'll do my best. My powers seem to be fluctuating, but I don't know why.'

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'Yeah, maybe that's why I couldn't link up with you all earlier. Something weird's going on and it's starting to _seriously creep me out._' There was a mental jolt as Schuldig suddenly realised who the black-clad fighter was. 

"Hey, it's samurai girl!" he exclaimed, startling the two senior members of Weiss. "Who's the bastard beating her up?" he growled as he stepped forward instinctively. The sudden pressure of a cold blade against his throat stopped him short. 

Yoji glared at the two other Schwarz members before his attention was drawn to the fighting pair. His reaction was similar to Ken's but Yoji's more developed senses warned him that stepping in would be suicide. Gritting his teeth in frustration, he watched helplessly as the girl crashed to the ground from a brutal kick. He could feel Ran's anger seeping out of him as he too, took in the scene. If they attacked as a group, Schwarz would slip out of their grasp or turn to attack them once they regrouped. A Catch-22 as they would say. Damn it.

It was at this moment that the light from the moon outside leaked in through the grimy windows overhead. The light gathered intensity and it now illuminated the people within the warehouse's interior. The battle continued and Huo Long was beginning to get annoyed with its duration. He now held a grudging respect for the girl as she got up time and again after each assault but it was also beginning to bore him. She was not displaying any exceptional martial arts skills but was simply defending herself against his attacks by absorbing them with her defensive tactics.

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Aya was tiring and she realised that her situation was precarious. She could see her Guardians gathering but was also glad that they had not interfered. Huo Long would not have tolerated it and would have probably hurt or even killed them. Besides, she still had to prove herself to them if she hoped to gain their help for the upcoming confrontation. And something told her that the Baron played a very big role in the affair. 

A particularly nasty kick sent her slamming to the concrete and she barely managed to roll aside and avoid the swiftly descending foot. She was amazed at his stamina considering his preference for high-impact kicking. Ducking, she glanced up and saw a face she had never thought that she would ever see again. Aya's eyes widened in shock and she did not see the next attack. 

The force was astounding. As she flew through the air, time suddenly slowed to a crawl. She saw each face as she passed by them, those of Crawford, Schuldig and Farfarello as he stared down from atop a stack of crates. The faces of the shorter Japanese teenager, the tall blonde, the brunette she had earlier rescued from the creature and his smaller sandy-haired team mate. All of them bore the shock and fear in varying degrees of expression.

But the one face that she locked on to even as she felt her body slam into and through a stack of wooden crates, was that of a redhead with amethyst eyes that carried the pain of the world within them. After that, Aya saw no more.

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Author's Notes: Ooooo!!! Am I evil or am I EVIL? To think I should end on a note such as this. Well, I have been fairly constant in the lengths for each chapter. I think of it as a script for an anime episode – and we all know what *they're* like. I have one more chapter before the epilogue. [That's 2 more till the end, for those who are mathematically-challenged ^__^] 

Yes! The first act is about to end and the next to begin! [Eventually, that is. I still need to think it out a little more carefully and stop daydreaming about Sesshoumaru. Gods, but I ADORE that fluffy tail of his! *drools*] Argh, I'm digressing! Focus, dammit, focus!

So Huo Long is a badass, or isn't he? Heh, I'll leave it up to you to decide which way I'll swing it. The character's pretty much open to debate. Alright, so I can't make up my mind about him. But I do like him, like I do the Wyrd Twins. Except for the Baron [I hope I didn't make him appear too cheesy], I pretty much like all my 'made-up' charas. Makes for an interesting read, eh? 

My, my, my but Ken-kun and Schu-chan seem to have a thing for the Hunter, don't they? *lol* That's the damsel-in-distress syndrome reversed. I'm just so cruel at times! What shall my plans be regarding possible couples in this fic? Or will there be couples? Hmm, so many possibilities…. What do you think? If you leave a review in the box and let me know where you would like to see this story lead to, I may just grant your wish. Like I said, this fic's future is not fixed. The plot's outcome is there but as to the characters' interactions, it is still pretty much an open book.

So tell me, people - Weiss vs Schwarz vs the Baron's posse vs the Hunter. The stakes are high, so start laying your bets. I DO read your comments / reviews carefully so who knows, it may just work out in your favour! [Knocks head against wall at such shameless, blatant advertising for reviews. I have no pride… none at all. So indulge me, okay? ^__~]

Till the next chapter, ja mata ne!


	14. As The Memories Take Hold

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Disclaimers: Still don't own anything related to Weiss. I do however own all the other characters that you don't know of. Can you guess which?

My apologies for the very late update. February is the worst month of the year for me to get my writing done and posting new chapters online. The short month coupled with the Chinese New Year festivities and rushed work schedules **do not** a happy writer make. Besides, I'm currently battling a major writer's block at a crucial point in this fic so that makes for a really 'happy' month… ~__~ And now it's April… Oh woe is me!

But don't worry too much! I do have several chapters already written – it's just cleaning them up and checking for any continuity errors and stuff. After this arc, the future chapters will be updated every 3 weeks or so [depending on my interest and inspiration]. Please encourage me to complete this, your reviews mean so much!

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~ Bern. 

April 2003.

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Thank you to:

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Miko Kudou – Huo Long is a character that I'm leaving very open. But I agree that the first impression he makes is somewhat less than 'friendly'. I'm glad you caught the Laby reference! The title came really quickly and all I had to do was to tweak it a little to fit the chapter. I love the J/S pairing [what else is there?]

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Larania - *squirms guiltily* Eh heheheheh…. Sorry about the ending. But truthfully speaking, the way it ended was the result of many hours of deliberation. Should I do it this way or another way? Well, your reaction certainly made my day. ^___^

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RaTt – Glad you liked the cliffhanger! As I mentioned above, it took some time to decide on it's ending. Hope this chapter makes up for the wait.

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GeneWeiss – Aya-chan's a tough gal but Huo Long doesn't like messing about either. I have this thing for opposite sex pairs battling it out. As for when Aya and Ran meeting up – well, read on…

I agree that Weiss & Schwarz have a lot of potential to be allies but then again, they make pretty good rivals. Since I don't subscribe to the yaoi theory, I put it down to personality and character.

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Kenneth – Wai! Ken-Chan has finally reviewed after several months. Got you on the cliffhanger didn't I? And you also like the implied 'yaoi' in the fic too, right? Only for you Ken-Chan, only for you. ^__~

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Kaisynaya – Glad to hear from you again. So you like the Schu x Aya-chan pairing, eh? Interesting… Stay tuned for the following chapters now!

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Yue no Miko – Schoolwork is a bother when you feel that there are more 'important' things to do. But I'm glad that you still left me a short note to keep it going. So let me extend the same sentiments to your fics. Ganbatte!

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Chapter 13: As the Memories Take Hold… 

Schwarz and Weiss watched dumbfounded as she went sailing through the air before crashing through the stack of heavy wooden crates. The now unstable structure tottered and began to tumble down in a sickening crash that resounded throughout the warehouse. It threw up a thick cloud of dust and debris that obscured the moonlight and caused several of them to cough at the irritation. As the dust settled, Huo Long approached the rubble to check on the Hunter's situation. Raising his hands, he began to summon his power of pyrokinesis.

Nagi noted that the man's action was similar to his when about to release his powers. After witnessing all that happened earlier, Nagi was now clear about where he stood with regards to the Hunter. He too, raised his hands and called upon his telekinesis to aid him. The power flowed through him and he focused it at the man. As he released it, he suddenly realised that something was wrong. The invisible force had flown towards the man but before it could blow him off his feet, it parted and flowed around him. Blinking in surprise, he saw the man turn to stare at him impassively. 

Crawford stiffened as another wave of visions assaulted his already overstrained senses. Clutching his head, he fell to one knee gasping in pain. Weiss stared at him in surprise and Schuldig winced as he felt the overflow from Crawford. He hissed as the pain sped through his mind and forced his weakened telepathic shields to block them out. Ran had tightened his hold on the telepath but Schuldig did not care. He had other things to worry about - like retaining his sanity. Meanwhile, Huo Long had resumed his stance and his hands appeared to catch fire. As the flames arched towards the pile of ready tinder where the Hunter lay, something long and sharp flew through the air at him.

The flames immediately dissipated as he took defensive action by leaping aside. The spear however, managed to catch his sleeve tearing the cloth. The spectators turned to stare into the shadows and saw a slender figure stepping out. Unlike the Hunter, she wore no mask and her eyes remained locked on Huo Long. Nagi gasped and clutched at Crawford's arm. The remaining people simply stared in amazement. 

"This is getting too damn freaky," Yoji muttered, his thoughts starting to drift back to the various fights with Schreiend. He shuddered and felt his hands clench around his looped wires.

"She's alive? But I thought, that time back in the manor…" Ken stuttered almost lacerating himself on his bugnuks as he unconsciously tried to run his hand through his hair.

"Tot…" Nagi murmured, his grip on Crawford tightening further. 

Crawford looked up from his crouched position and almost wanted to laugh at the situation. It was like a weird parody of past and future clashing with the present to create this pantomime. He felt Nagi's uncertainty and shock in the teenager's unrelenting grip and tried to pull his thoughts in order. The visions were coming at an alarming rate and he began to wonder how much longer he would be able to handle them. Sooner or later, they would literally be the death of him. Unfortunately, it seemed that the most approachable person to answer his questions lay buried under a ton of rubble.

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As the Baron sat in the backseat, he thought back to his meeting with the young Hunter. She appeared inexperienced but had apparently made an impression on the leader of Schwarz. Idly stroking the pale strands of the unconscious Majel, he deliberated upon the next stage of his plans. Huo Long had requested to remain behind to challenge the Hunter, failing which he offered to leave the organisation permanently. The man had too much pride and seemed to measure success on his abilities to outfight his opponent. But that was what made him valuable; the man was pure bodyguard material.

Kanta glanced into the rear view mirror and caught the Baron's eye. Smiling slightly, he brought the witch's hair to his lips. Returning his eyes to the road, Kanta wondered at what had transpired within the building. Despite his incredible size and strength, he was the least crucial member of the Baron's retinue. He only learnt things when either the Baron or Michiko told him. Other than that, he played the chauffeur and butler and occasional bodyguard when Huo Long was otherwise occupied. He had no complaints, sometimes it made things a lot easier to handle. Kanta rarely voiced his thoughts but he was very aware of the people around him.

"Baron, the lady Michiko requested that I pick her up before heading home. Shall I drop you and the lady Majel at the house before fetching her?" he asked.

"No, I won't mind the drive. Besides, the night is rather lovely and the roads are empty," Rothschild replied casually. "Besides, I want to know what my pretty witch has been up to while we were otherwise engaged with the Hunter."

"As you wish, Baron."

The car took the turning into the highway and headed back in the direction of Tokyo. A minute later, the bright glitter of the metropolis appeared in the distance as Kanta accelerated towards it.

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Huo Long took in the slender female standing between him and the fallen Hunter. A movement caught his eye and he realised that she was not alone. A tall, lean man stepped up and Huo Long frowned at the added inconvenience. Knowing that the situation was no longer in his favour, he glanced at the people around him once more before leaping back into the shadows. Nanami was about to dash forward after him but stopped when Seki called out.

"We need to get her out."

"Who are you? And who was that person?" Ran's gruff voice cut through. 

After watching the events unfold before his eyes, the Weiss redhead could not keep his curiosity in check. There was also something about the masked girl that had been troubling him - the way her eyes caught his before the impact brought the crates down about her. He narrowed his eyes and shoved the still bound Schuldig into Yoji's protesting arms. Striding forward, he ignored the Schreiend girl and faced the man. Gods, but this guy reminded him of Crawford with his white outfit, short hair and glasses. The only thing that separated the two of them was the gentle warmth within his strangely luminous green eyes.

"Everything will be explained," Seki said before turning his gaze to Crawford. "You too, Crawford-san and all of you."

Looking at one another uneasily, the members of Weiss and Schwarz wondered at what other 'surprises' were going to be sprung on them. It was at that moment that a loud shuffling noise broke through the heavy atmosphere. Staring at the crumpled mess where the Hunter lay buried, they saw the wooden beams and planks being pushed aside. A soft grumbling was also heard as a hand popped out and waved for some assistance.

Nanami reached for it and helped tug free a very dusty and somewhat disgruntled Hunter. She was clutching her side and the others wondered if she had broken any of her ribs. Scrambling down and through the wooden bits, she turned to look up at the people looking at her in varying degrees of amazement mixed with concern. Releasing her grip on Nanami's hand, she slowly walked up to the Weiss leader.

Ran tensed as he watched the black-clad female make her way towards him. There was something so familiar and yet so alien about her that Ran couldn't make up his mind. Stiffening at her sudden proximity to him, he hadn't realised that he had been unconsciously holding his breath. He tried to force his usual cold mask but something within her eyes arrested that intention. He could feel his heart pounding and a strange exhilaration flooded his body. 

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'No, it can't be…'

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Aya regained consciousness quickly and winced as she felt the broken rib protesting. She could hear some muffled conversation and realised that her back-up had finally arrived. For a moment, she gave in to annoyance at their lateness before the memory of what she had last seen caught her attention. 

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'That man looks like 'Nii-san!'

Mentally shaking her head at the thought, she tried to reason it out. Ran was dead, his own superior had said so, hadn't she? Doubts and hope began to cloud her thoughts and Aya decided that the only way she could put her brother's memory to rest was to face that man. Only then would she be certain about it. Aya had to know, if only for her own peace of mind. 

Bracing herself against the pain in her side, Aya shoved at the offending wood covering her. Despite her fatigue, the adrenaline still coursed through her and she made short work of clearing enough away to pop a hand free. Feeling Nanami's slender hand grip hers, she used it to pull herself out. Aya still could not get over the fact that the older girl was much stronger than she looked despite not being a Guardian. 

As she stumbled over the broken wood, she could feel the eyes of everyone on her. Ignoring them, Aya focused her sights on one man who stood a little away from the rest. As she walked towards him, she took in the clear amethyst eyes, the red hair with their signature twin eartails and the fair skin uncharacteristically cloaked in a dark leather trenchcoat. Each step towards him brought back flashes of memory of her brother and Aya swallowed the sudden lump in her throat.

Finally they stood facing each other. She could see the emotions flicker in his eyes, the swell of hope and the fear of disappointment chasing each other within their depths. Aya wondered if he could see the same within her dark indigo depths. Barely realising her actions, she felt her hand reaching up to grasp the edge of the mask. For a moment, she paused as if uncertain at her intention but then her resolve strengthened and she pulled it off.

All around her gasps sounded but Aya was only interested in the reaction of the man before her. His eyes were now wide open and his mouth slightly parted as though about to say something. Aya felt her eyes blur and barely realised that her tears spilling down her cheeks. Ran stood there dumbfounded, his thoughts scattered and fleeting. Of all the people in the world, how could it be her? Without knowing it, he breathed out her name, his soft voice deafening in the dead silence about them.

"Aya…"

Hearing her name was a catalyst for Aya. Choking back a cry, she threw herself into his arms. Gripping his trenchcoat in her hands, she allowed the grief, pain and worry that had plagued her since her awakening and her new role come pouring out in great heaving sobs. Vaguely, she felt his arms come up and hug her close, the pressure pushing against her broken rib. She ignored the pain and simply buried herself deeper in the embrace she had yearned for since waking up.

Seki and Nanami smiled at the touching reunion while the others stood about confused and surprised at the sudden turn of events. Ken and Omi looked like they were about to cry while Schuldig and Yoji shared a look of glazed bemusement. Crawford was taking in the scene with a slight frown as though in deep thought about the whole affair. Farfarello had reappeared beside Nagi but remained impassive. Only his sole amber glittered with an unknown emotion.

Nagi's surprise quickly wore off and he looked towards Nanami. Could she be Tot? If she was… Nagi felt his heartbeat speed up at the thought. The last time they had met, she had been killed before his eyes by Farfarello. The memory brought the still barely healed emotions to the surface. He stepped away from Crawford and tentatively approached the blue-haired girl.

"Tot…?"

Looking into the teenager's eyes, Nanami felt a surge of sympathy for the hopeful Nagi. A part of her wanted to acknowledge the name but Tot had died a long time ago together with Schreiend at the mansion. She could feel Seki's eyes on her as she tried to think of her answer for the pale youth. Deciding that it was for the best, she held out her right hand for an introduction.

"Hi, my name is Nanami. I take it you're one of the Guardians?" 

"Nanami…" Nagi mumbled the name as he took in the girl before him. She looked so much like Tot that he could have sworn she was. Her hair was arranged differently although it bore the curls reminiscent of Tot's. He could feel his heart breaking as he began to accept the fact that Tot had in fact 'died' that night after all. Nagi wasn't blind and as much as he wanted to scream his protest, the girl before him had made it very clear. Tot no longer existed, only Nanami – and Nagi wasn't ready to accept the familiar stranger standing before him. 

"I'm sorry," Nanami began but bit her lower lip before she said anything more. Nagi's eyes looked deeply wounded and she felt the guilt weighing on her conscience. It should not be like this but there was no choice in the matter. The past was gone and Nanami knew that her future now was very different from that formerly with Schreiend. Tot had needed the protection of Schreiend to survive, while Nanami was confident with standing on her own. Even if it meant hurting the one person who had made her feel special and loved aside from her 'sisters' and 'father'.

Seki had meanwhile approached Crawford and was speaking to the Schwarz leader in low tones. Farfarello listened with what appeared to be amusement on his face as Omi and Ken gravitated closer to the two. Yoji idly shoved the still dazed telepath as he made his way to the blue-haired stranger. He noticed Ran observing the two men despite his attention being focused on his still sobbing sister. Schuldig turned to glance at Aya once more before making his way to Crawford. Unsure of the situation, the telepath remained silent and kept his thoughts to himself for once.

Satisfied that both Weiss and Schwarz had gathered around without lunging at one another's throats, Seki formulated his thoughts into a suitable presentation for the rest. After speaking with Crawford, Seki realised that the man had reached a point in this situation that made him more receptive to listening about what he had to say. The strain was telling on the American and Seki doubted that the man would be as accommodating if he had recently enjoyed a good night's sleep. Turning to Yoji, Seki asked the lean blonde if he could release the pale telepath.

"And the reason would be?" Yoji drawled out but his eyes held more than a sharp glint of distrust about the proposition. Damn it but the wily German was a catch that Kritiker would give their Swiss bank accounts for. Plus, thhe man had caused all of them more grief than even Yoji could begin to tally up.

"Please, Kudou-san," Seki pressed. "Schuldig is a member of Schwarz and at this point of time, both Weiss and Schwarz have to work together to get the situation under control."

"I don't like this," Yoji began before realising what the man called him. "Hey, how did you know my name?"

Seki gave him a solemn smile. "I know all about Weiss and Schwarz. I am not interested in the organisations you work for but the individuals. Your roles in this affair have taken on a greater significance since the Three Elders defeat about a year back. It was because of the failed summoning that has resulted in the current demon infestation."

"You make it sound like we're in charge of pest control," Yoji grumbled desultorily as he roughly tugged the wire off Schuldig's bruised wrists. His entire evening had gone from bad to almost good before tumbling back down the scale to utter arse luck. The loss of the hoped for bonus was now a very sore point with the lanky blonde. And he had had such wonderful thoughts about how to spend it. Schuldig was tempted to reply to the man's thought but Crawford's warning frown pre-empted the German's intent.

"Here is not a good time nor place to discuss such things," Seki said as he reached into a hidden pocket. Pulling out a couple of cards, he passed one to Crawford and the other to Yoji. "Please come to the address stated here at 7 pm. We will be expecting you then."

"Hey, wait! Who are you?" Ken called out suddenly. The others blinked at the most obvious question they had not thought to ask. Trust the soccer player to hit the nail on the head at the right time.

"My name is Seki. And until 7 pm tonight, it is all you need to know."

Nanami rejoined him at his side and together they stepped back into the deep shadows surrounding the warehouse. However, before they disappeared, Seki called out to Ran.

"Your sister needs you now more than ever, Ran. But you must realise that she has a heavy responsibility to bear and that you cannot take that role away from her. Be her Guardian, Ran, as well as her brother."

Frowning at the words, Ran continued to cradle the precious bundle in his arms. Aya had by now calmed down and was now quietly accepting his comfort. As he held her, the questions started to pop into his head and he wondered how to get the answers he needed. The time that Seki promised to reveal all was too far away in his opinion. And the only other person who probably had those answers was now sniffling softly as she dried her tears. But Ran had no intention of forcing anything out of his sister given her current state of distress.

Crawford eyed the pair as he too shared the same thoughts. However, he did not feel all that unwilling to prying some answers out of the girl. The shock having worn off, it now allowed him to take stock of the situation. But he also realised that the only way he could satisfy his burning curiosity was to go through Weiss. And except for Farfarello, the others were not up to it. Nagi was depressed after seeing Tot's supposed reincarnation and Schuldig was still recovering from his earlier injuries and the recent fight with Bombay and Balinese. He too, was forced to admit that he was suffering from near exhaustion. Indeed, the Powers-That-Be were really dishing out the cursed luck!

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Aya had by now remembered herself and pulled back from her brother's arms. For a moment, he seemed to tighten them about her but then let go. Unsure about the situation, she couldn't help but briefly fume at Seki and Nanami leaving her behind to deal with her Guardians. Well, soon-to-be Guardians that is. And even then, if they choose to accept it. The memory of her unsuccessful fight with that Chinese man made the situation even more unbearable. A heated flush covered her cheeks and she looked at the ground in embarrassment. This was _not_ how she intended to impress them. Aya suddenly wanted the ground to open up and swallow her whole. And it didn't help matters that she could now feel their eyes on her.

That left her with only one solution that Aya felt was available to her. It wasn't fair and as much as she wanted to be with her brother, she couldn't handle the disappointment of her failure. Taking in a deep breath, she turned to look up at them before forcing the words out of her mouth.

"I'm… sorry."

Before Ran could reach out for her, Aya turned to sprint off towards the exit. She could hear her brother's cries as well as those from a couple of the others but she blocked them out. Allowing her superior abilities to carry her away, she almost flew through the warehouse. Leaping over the broken crates and other assorted obstacles, she managed to avoid those who tried to follow her. 

Bursting through the flimsy wooden door of the warehouse, she ran towards her motorcycle. Pausing to brush the tears from her eyes, she slipped onto the seat before ramming the helmet over her head. Twisting the ignition key, she felt the engine rumble to life. Kicking down on the gears, she revved the throttle before releasing the brake. The power propelled it forward and in a couple of moments she was accelerating through the backyard of the warehouse.

As she sped past, she saw the rest of them staring after her. Ran was frantically calling out to her but she forced her eyes back onto the road and opened the throttle further. The Suzuki roared and in sudden burst of speed, she was soon a dark speck in the distance. As she sped off in the direction of Tokyo, Aya couldn't help but wonder if she had done the right thing by abandoning her brother after the all too brief reunion. Either way, she had until seven tonight to sort through her emotions before facing him and the other Guardians. 

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Author's Notes: This chapter certainly took its time in coming. So many debates about what to write and whom to write about coupled with a case of writer's block. No wonder I tend to produce several chapters ahead. I don't think I can handle production upon demand very well. ::sighs:: And as I said in the beginning, things weren't going to plan with regards to this story's production. Looks like it's time to go back to watching Weiss and reading some WK fics. Yeah, it's time to stop indulging in Ranma ½ and Inuyasha…

I think the reunion scene came out a little too sob-waffy. For goodness sake, I was almost teary-eyed as I wrote that scene. I hope it works though. I'm not all that good with extreme emotional stuff, I like to write more contemplative pieces or action scenes. On reflection, I can't help but wonder if I didn't over-melodramatise the thing. Other than that, I think I'm stretching the chapter a little. Now the headache of editing it will come into play.

I know this fic's quite popular judging from the number of hits I get but I really want to know who the readers are and what they think. Pretty please with Ran on top? ^____^ v

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PS: This is the last full chapter and I'll be posting the Epilogue next. I'll probably try appending it with some of my thoughts on various things related to the story and other stuff. For those of you who actually read the rubbish at the end of each of the chapters, I'll be providing answers to some of the more persistent questions and anything else, my reviewers wish to ask. Yeah, time for a Q & A session.

So please, leave your questions in the review box below and I'll do my best to answer them. But without spoiling the story for those of you who are anti-spoiler.


	15. Epilogue & FAQ

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Disclaimers: I don't own Weiss, I only own the bad guys and other assorted original made-for-this-story characters.

Thank you:

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Larania – Thanks for being the first to leave a review. I love reading your comments as they make me want to post the next chapter quickly. But as they love to say, "good things come to those who wait." *ducks from the few smelly fish thrown at her* Heh, heh!

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Kaisynaya – Glad you loved the reunion scene! Worked hard on it so I like the approvals you and several others have given it. I'm waiting for *your* HP fic to continue.

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Kenneth – Wai! Wai! Wai! You're still following the story! *big watery Kaoru marble eyes* So the sentimental reunion got to you too, huh? Ureshi! I understand your meaning about the oddly fuzzy feeling at the end. Hah! Glad to know I managed to pull it off! Keep a-hanging on for the next arc! And no, I still can't seem to work any mecha battles into it. But I am open to suggestions… **;p**

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GeneWeiss – Gosh! Me writing a novel? What could I write about? Hmm, I may write an original side-story on Huo Long's past but I don't want to over-commit myself. But thanks for the compliment! I'm still blushing…

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Yue no Miko – I'm just so mean to Ran-san, aren't I? Ah well, we suffer for our art – but it helps when we allow the characters to do it on our behalf, eh? *lol* I'm still following your Hellsing fic – love to know how it'll continue!

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Aeris – A Crawford x Aya-chan pairing? Interesting… Well, we'll have to see how it goes. After all, I don't want to spoil the anticipation for you all.

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Faerie_X – Your review is very insightful and I love reading it. I do try to keep the characters as much in focus as possible without too much angst. I'd like to keep things a little light-hearted now and then. As for pairings – I've not given it a lot of thought. I suppose you could say that everyone has some kind of feeling for Aya-chan given their proximity. But it is something to give more thought to in future chapters.

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RaTt - You're back! Glad to hear from you. No, it's still not over. After all, the bad guys are still out there… Stay in touch for the sequel!

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Epilogue

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Sakura's Apartment, Tokyo

After midnight

Michiko watched Tomoe Sakura get ready for bed from her perch on the roof of the building opposite and smiled. The girl had finished her papers for the course she was currently taking at Tokyo University and was now indulging in a little daydream before slipping off to sleep. Holding a small mirror up, Michiko focused her powers and peeked in at the girl's secret fantasies. Watching it, she couldn't help chuckling at the picture it conjured up.

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Sakura was sitting beneath a flowering cherry tree, not unlike that of her name, running her small hands through the silky hair of the man whose head was lying contentedly in her lap. The man had a small, contented smile on his face when he turned to look up into her eyes. As Michiko watched, she saw his hand reach up to gently stroke the girl's blushing cheek before sliding it sensuously behind her neck.

Sakura's eyes closed as she felt the lightly demanding pressure of his hand lead her downwards to his waiting lips. As the deepened into something more, she felt the tension drain out only to be replaced by a strange heat that began to engulf her entire body. Gasping, she woke up and stared at the ceiling in surprise and hot embarrassment. But what she felt most, was the strange warmth that continued to flow through her senses.

Sighing heavily as she turned over, she couldn't help but wonder if the reality she'd hoped for would ever match up to the dream she'd just had. It had felt so real and the emotions from the dream still coursed through her. It now no longer seemed like a wishful dream but a very possible reality. Squeezing her eyes shut, Sakura sent her prayer winging up to the heavens in the hope that it would soon be answered. 

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As Kanta pulled up to the curb, Michiko simply let herself into the front seat without waiting for him to open the door. Majel was still sprawled unconscious in the backseat with the Baron's arms protectively cradling her. Smiling into the rear view mirror, she acknowledged the Baron's presence. As for Majel, Michiko could sense the power of the nether realm exuding from the witch's body in waves. Soaking in the energy that flowed through her, she snuggled back into the rich leather of the car's seat.

"We missed you at the little gathering, my dear."

"Forgive me, Baron. I had a little something to take care of," Michiko replied lazily. "I'm sure you would understand if I were to say that it was all to make the Summoning more successful."

"Ah," the response came from behind, "I take it that it has something to do with the other girl who had been involved in the disrupted one?"

"Mmm…" was the only reply he received. Knowing it was now best to leave his sultry witch to her own private thoughts, Rothschild turned his attention away as he continued to stroke the pale hair of the witch he held. 

Sakura – the name of the girl touched by the Great Demon as it tried to enter this world. For someone who hosted the Demon even if for a few moments, she would even now still held some of It's power within her. But Rothschild did not want that so-called residual power she carried. The only thing Rothschild wanted of Sakura was her body to channel the Great Demon within once more. After that, she would serve her purpose and be eliminated. 

After all, there can be only one supreme entity in this world and the Baron was not a man willing to share.

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Author's Notes: Now, who is that hot guy Sakura-chan's dreaming about? I'm not saying anything. As to Michiko's interest in her, that is another secret. Yeah, I'm just so full of crap sometimes…. ::chuckles:: The Baron is starting to show his true colours too.

I intend for this fic to be a multi-arc series so please bear with me. Like I said in one of my earlier chapter Notes, I build characters and their relationships as opposed to shoving the plot down a steep-gradient slope. I've actually found a few promising fics that have very good plot lines. Unfortunately, their writers copped out by forcing the story to move along too quickly and not allowing the reader to get a 'feel' of the characters in relation to the story or vice-versa. I don't want to do the same with my story. I think that's why I write the way I do – I tend to enjoy reading fics that follow a similar pattern to mine. But I read anything I like, so there. ^__^v

I'm a fan of novels that go for a good combination of story plus characterisation. Of course, humour helps in the equation as well as some action and excitement [either gratuitous sex or violence – but in moderate doses, please]. I like reading fanfics but I'm also a stickler for grammar and spelling. English may not be a first language for some, but I believe it should not be made an excuse for bad spelling and corrupted grammar. Why not take a little time out to sit with your own work and try to fix it up before posting it online? I swear that a little proofreading on your part can make a big difference to someone reading your fic for the first time. Besides, I believe that there is such a function as Spell Check within the programme.

Well, I'd better stop here before I make enemies online. I am very aware that some people can be very sensitive and be easily offended if they feel that this message is directed personally at them. Please don't be. I'm merely offering good-natured advice for all those who wish to do better in their work. I write for fun rather than profit. I don't believe in that Great [insert name of country] Novel. I also realised that the Harry Potter books sell not because of incredibly sophisticated writing but through the love of story-telling. If nothing else, I want mine to be like that.

I hope you have enjoyed my 'story-telling' with regards to Weiss Kreuz. It has certainly stretched my writing skills. If I were to actually sit back and look on it, I believe that I would actually pat myself on the back and give a big thumbs-up for perseverance. Now, all I have to do is to work out the story for the next arc. Really, sometimes I wonder why I torture myself over this. *lol* I just hope that the next arc will be just as good or [hopefully] better.

So please tell me what you think. I'm actually one of the nice ones who don't blackmail their readers with demands for reviews before posting the next chapter. Honestly speaking, I don't like such an attitude. It seriously puts a damper on the fic as a whole and makes it a lot less pleasurable to continue reading. So I usually just post my whining at the end of the page where people can easily ignore it. Anyway, this arc has officially ended and I will start posting the next one once I get a couple of chapters done. So keep in touch and stay tuned!

Till then,

~ Bern. 

©2003.

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Basic Facts about Dark Moon Ascendant

**_Why Aya-chan of all people? What on earth possessed you to even consider her? _**

Aya-chan is an interesting character in my opinion simply because she's very poorly developed. What do we really know about her anyway? All we see of her are flashbacks through Ran's mind and the various 'coma' shots before her finally waking up and wondering what's going on. We know more of Sakura as she is given more screen time but we should also be careful not to make Sakura into Aya-chan and vice-versa. Is Aya-chan really all that sweet and loving or could she be a more female version of her oniisan Ran? 

Personally, I wouldn't put it too far as to say that the siblings' personalities are a lot closer than we may give them credit for. Ran was not as cold back then before the accident, and it was only later that he developed the 'Iceman' persona. The only thing that'll I'll use to 'link' the siblings' personalities are that Aya-chan is equally stubborn and determined to prove herself [traits not unlike her brother's, don't you think?] Given Aya-chan's unique physical characteristics that Crawford mentioned during the course of the TV series about her lack of ageing, it seemed only plausible to take it a step further and to develop the reasoning behind it. I had also briefly considered Sakura as taking on the lead role given her brush with the demon possession until I hit a brick wall with the plot. 

Aside from Aya-chan, the other female cast members are too 'ordinary' in various respects. So why not the one person who'd have the 'honour' of being in the arms of several of the hottest guys in the series? *laughs* Besides, I've noticed that a lot of the fics online do not like Sakura and dismissive of Aya-chan [except for a very few]. Rather unfair but then again, I take it as the author's personal storytelling to present the character in the way they choose. I, on the other hand, hope to balance out the largely negative view of Sakura [and to a certain extent Aya-chan] with my 'interpretation' of their characters post TV and OVA. So let's give them a break, okay?

**_Why no yaoi? Surely it would add to a whole lot of 'interesting' situations? _**

Ah, the ever famous question. Why no yaoi? Because every other fic out there is yaoi or shonen-ai in some way, shape or form. I don't slam it but then again I don't outrightly embrace it. I suppose something tastefully written has its merits in my view but frankly speaking, they are few and far between. Some yaoi fics make me cringe if not make me want to jump into the nearest scalding hot shower with a bristle brush to scrub myself down. I know I'm gonna get some flack from some hard-core yaoists out there about my so-called lack of taste but really people, give it a break – it's my choice. 

Personally, I have found NO indication of Weiss Kreuz being yaoi in nature. Unless I'm rather retarded in reading between the lines, I am willing to bet that the show is straighter than a precision-ruler in a science lab. Heck, I've seen real-life straight guys behave with a more touchy-feely attitude than the resident bishounen onscreen. So what do I do with regards to this? I 'play' with them by giving very lightly implied situations just to add a little humour to the situation. Maybe you can consider it my small tribute to the predominant yaoi genre devoted in WK fandom. [But I dedicate this most to you Ken-Chan! ^___^v]

**_What is the deal with Aya-chan's powers? Isn't it a rip-off from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and possibly Dark Angel? _**

I'll confess that Aya-chan's abilities are a kind of rip-off from Buffy and Dark Angel. But before you slam me for it, I want to be clear on this. I've never watched these two shows with more than a passing interest. I like the shows but I had little patience in sticking with it during the season(s) run. Yeah, I know that they have enhanced speed, strength and senses [the Superhuman Triple-S syndrome as I dubbed them] but I have very little knowledge on anything else about them. 

For the Buffy case, I just liked the idea of the monsters vanishing in a puff of dust – nice, neat and convenient. I was really too lazy to think of how to explain a trail of dead monsters strewn about the place. I think it's forgivable considering that I'm devoting my intellectual resources to the actual storytelling as opposed to monster clean-up. *lol* As for the Dark Angel aspect, I like the outfit and the whole angst thing about not finding a place to fit in society. But with regards to these two series, don't quote me on anything more than the glamour and really cool idea of girls kicking butt. 

As to the possible limitations of Aya-chan… Well, she's still coming to terms with her role and abilities. She's strong but still lacks the necessary 'instincts' that separates her from the rest of the Guardians. It is these 'instincts' that determine who walks away from the battlefield. Sure, Aya-chan can kill the nasty monsters but they are essentially the drones that serve little more than props to the whole villains' arsenal. It is for this reason that I'll be devoting future chapters to her 'growing up' and maturing in order to face the Baron and his posse.

**_What's the deal with the Baron and his posse? Do you have any pictures of them to give us an idea of what they look like? _**

The Baron just evolved after some heavy-duty thinking about the ending of the WK series. The Three Elders' role was vaguely described although it did allow me some leeway in manipulating the storyline. I wasn't aware of it at first but the first OP credits formed a large backbone to the fic's direction and general intents. I've always wanted Aya-chan to take the lead role but I also wanted Weiss and Schwarz in the picture as well. Momoe-san was the best candidate for the 'soothsayer' role while an original character [heavily influenced by Ernst from the Angelique game – now THAT's a major bishonen-fest!] named Seki [a tribute to both Seki Tomokazu (Ken, Kyo – Fruits Basket) and Seki Toshihiko (Genjo Sanzo, Duo from Gundam Wing). 

But the Baron's posse developed more slowly. The Wyrd Twins - Majel and Michiko - came about when I pondered upon the classic anime villain having a couple or harem of pretty women helping him. But I don't like portraying my female characters as brainless bimbos so I gave the two of them mystical powers that can be considered more advanced than that of Schwarz. I just hope that I don't fall into the pit of having my villains way too powerful and the heroes succeed simply because of them being heroes. I want some PAIN, ANGST and TRAUMA in my fic so as to give it a sense of realism, even if it's a fic about 2-D characters from an anime. 

The other members of the Baron's posse came about as the story developed. Kanta was initially supposed to be Kruger – an exceptionally strong brute with no conscience and a body to put the Incredible Hulk to shame. But I then modified him into the mild-mannered Kanta who is the part-time butler and chauffeur. But he's still big and strong, for good reason. To balance against Kanta, I developed my favourite bad guy Huo Long to play the role of bodyguard and general mayhem. I also gave him the power of manipulating fire but it is a gift he rarely uses. I can't give too much info on him although I would love to write a side-story on his past. One day, I hope it will come to past – the guy is just way too cool (if I say so myself) to ignore!

As to what the Baron and his posse look like – you'll have to wait a little longer I'm afraid. I've commissioned a friend, Xrystal, to do the artwork and portraits of the characters and she's still in the process of completing them. It's partially my fault because I'm one of those design-challenged individuals who can't think about the type of clothing her characters are wearing. I can't help it! I swear that if you were to go through the fic, there's very little description even for Seki, Michiko, the Baron and Huo Long. Thankfully another buddy of mine, Lynn, contributed ideas to the outfits' designs. Thank you to the two of you for everything!

A website to house the story and other works of mine is also in the making. Xrystal has provided the basic codes but it still needs the navigational links to be operational. I, on my part, am slowly but surely preparing the story pages that are to be viewed online. I hope that things will be up and running before June. The fact is both Xrystal and I have work commitments [she more than me] so things are taking their time… but thankfully, it picked up again. Now, all I need is a website to host the entire lot… and to think of a domain name… Argh! So many itty, bitty things to think of! I don't know how some people can actually do it without wanting to scream and tear their hair out in frustration. *huffs*

**_How did you come up with this story? Do you intend to finish it or just lead us poor suckers along until you give up? _**

Hmm, it happened when I watched the first few episodes of Dark Angel and Buffy [the second to final season]. I had also got my hands on the Weiss Kreuz TV series and OVA so put the two together and weird things happen. This was around May last year so that'll make this fic about a year old. It progressed rather fast with me managing to turn out about a chapter every 10 days or so. It was only after Chapter 7 [the first big fight scene] that things slowed down considerably. I was also preparing to travel to the UK and had little inspiration to continue. I did manage to churn out Chapter 8 but Chapter 9 was only completed while sitting about 10,000 km from home in my aunt's kitchen on a rented laptop. Heh. 

As to whether I can finish this story… Let's just say I can only work in spurts of creativity. I have a general idea but I still need to fine-tune each chapter's content before actually finding the words to type out. I used to write on paper but after a while, I decided to type it into my computer immediately. I guess I wanted to get the ideas out quickly and to improve my typing speed. I have rather stiff fingers so this is a good exercise as well. But I need you, my dear readers, to keep the fires of inspiration going. I'm really glad to have your support and will continue to write not so much for my own self as for those of you out there who've told me that this story is worth reading. Thank you all so much!

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Just to reiterate, this IS the end of the first arc of Dark Moon Ascendant. It's been a real pleasure making friends with those of you who've been kind enough to leave a review. The next arc Dark Moon Ascendant : The Summoning is to be dedicated to all of you who've made my writing such a delightful exercise in imagination and creativity [even if I may bitch about it at times!]. Here's looking at you, minna! Ja mata ne!

~ Bern.

(Arc One completed : April 2003)

©Dark Moon Ascendant Productions ^___^v


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